THE 

JL  A  Jim**. 


'HEN  the  LAND 
WAS    TOUNG 


'HEN  the  LAND 
WAS    TO  UNO 


BEING  the  TRUE  ROMANCE  of 
MISTRESS  ANTOINETTE  HUGUE- 
NIN  and  CAPTAIN  JACK  MIDDLE- 
TON  in  the  DAYS  of  the  BUCCANEERS 


BY    LAFAYETTE    McLAWS 

ILLUSTRATED    BY 
WILL    CRAWFORD 


BOSTON 

LOTHROP    PUBLISHING    COMPANY 


COPYRIGHT 
1 9  o  /,  B  T 

L  O  T  H  R  O  P 
P  UBLISHING 
COMPANY. 

ALL  RIGHTS 
R  E  S  E  R  y  E  D 

ENTERED  A  T 
STATIONERS' 
V  HALL  * 


P  U  BL  IS  H  E  D 
AUG.   /j,  i  go  i 

yth  THOUSAND 
AUG.   7J,   7907 


A 

A 


Mr 

MOT  HER 


LIST  oflLLUSTRATIONS 


"  He  stood  there  a  moment,  bis  chin  held  high,  wait 

ing  the  Onslaught.'''  Frontispiece 


a  mighty  effort  1  sprang  through   the  flames 
and  fell  headlong  over  the  bluff',"  Page  /6 

The  Arms  of  the  Huguenins.  Pagt  27 

'*  I  thought  only  of  the  girl  behind  me"  Page  124. 

"  Full  in  the  face  she  struck  him  who   had  hung   me 
there."  Page  /j6 

"  Look  !       I   would    have   you    know    Mademoiselle 
Antoinette   Huguenin"  Page  288 

"  Missiles  ceased  to  fall.      The  stratagem   had  proven 

Successful."  Page  £56 


TTr 

rr 


LAND 

YOUNG 


the    LAND 
was    YOUNG 


WE  were  stripped  of  our  clothes  and 
made  to  stand  with  our  backs  to  the 
fire.      The    Indians,    ranged    in   a 
semi-circle  facing  us,  sat  like  bronze  statues  un 
der  the  crimson  and  yellow  glare  of  the  leaping 
flames  with  the  deepening  shade  of  the  moss- 
draped  forest  behind  them. 

Three  days  before  we  had  been  surprised  in 
our  maize  fields;  our  servants  had  been  slain 
and  we  ourselves  taken  prisoners.  Since  then 
we  had  traveled  through  the  forests  so  bound 
and  guarded  that  to  attempt  escape  meant  in 
stant  death,  and  so  far  apart  as  to  render  im 
possible  all  private  speech  between  us.  Our  only 
hope  of  life  lay  in  a  rescue  at  the  hands  of  our 
friends  and  now  at  the  close  of  a  third  day  that 
hope  was  unfulfilled.  The  sun  had  gone  down 
and  darkness  had  entered  the  forest  when  our 

I  I 


captors  came  to  the  banks  of  the  Isundiga  and 
built  their  camp  fire  in  a  little  clearing  on  the 
top  of  a  bluff  overlooking  its  yellow  waters. 

Here  Colonel  Huguenin  and  I  had  been  freed 
of  our  bonds  for  the  first  time  and  sitting  among 
them  on  the  green  turf  we  partook  of  their  eve 
ning  meal  of  parched  maize  and  bucan.  Accord 
ing  to  their  custom  when  it  was  eaten  tobacco 
should  have  followed;  but  no  warrior  took  out 
his  pipe  or  tobacco  pouch.  The  chief  of  our 
captors,  whom  we  knew  belonged  to  that  war 
like  nation  whose  hunting  grounds  are  from  the 
borders  of  Carolina  westward  to  that  wonderful 
river  in  which  De  Soto  found  his  burying  place, 
rose  to  his  feet  and  began  to  speak. 

He  spoke  with  all  the  eloquence  of  a  savage 
leader  urging  his  warriors  to  vengeance  against 
the  white  man  whose  coming  among  them  with 
protestations  of  friendship  had  been  only  to  make 
captives  their  brothers,  to  sell  them  into  slavery, 
and  to  rob  them  of  their  hunting  grounds.  Bit 
ter  were  the  thoughts  in  my  heart  and  curses 
rose  to  my  lips  against  Quarry  and  his  slave 
trade  which,  I  knew,  many  a  time  and  oft,  Hu 
guenin  had  hotly  condemned.  A  damned  trade, 
he  called  it,  which,  so  he  said,  could  bring  no 
good  fruits  to  the  colonists,  even  though  it  lined 
their  purses  ten  times  over  with  cursed  Spanish 
gold. 

12 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

The  chief  ceased.  He  had  spoken  to  some  pur 
pose,  for  his  warriors,  maddened  by  thoughts 
of  revenge,  sprang  to  their  feet  and  began  prep 
arations  for  our  death.  They  hollowed  out  two 
shallow,  grave-like  pits.  It  was  to  be  a  barbe 
cue.  I  turned  to  look  at  Huguenin.  We  had 
left  our  seats  on  the  turf  and  were  standing 
with  our  backs  against  the  tall  jagged  stump  of 
a  lightning-blasted  pine  tree. 

"  I  would  my  child  were  back  in  France," 
he  said.  And  I  knew  that  this  thought  had  filled 
his  mind  ever  since  our  capture. 

"  She  will  find  friends  in  Charleston,"  I  said, 
to  comfort  him,  though  my  own  heart  misgave 
me  for  the  welfare  of  the  girl  who  had  already 
sailed  for  the  colony.  I  knew  only  too  well  the 
feeling  of  bitterness  which  the  Puritans — those 
stirrers  up  of  strife  in  whatever  land  they  cast 
their  lot — were  instigating  in  the  minds  of  the 
other  colonists  against  the  Huguenots.  "  She 
will  find  friends  and  a  liberty  that  could  never 
be  hers  in  France ;  for  I  fear  me  King  Louis  is 
but  waiting  for  the  more  certain  seating  of  the 
Catholic  James  in  England." 

"  Were  she  a  boy  I  would  ask  nothing  bet 
ter,"  he  answered  me.  "  Men  are  born  to  hard 
ship.  It  is  the  alloy  which  gives  firmness  to 
their  metal.  But  a  wroman —  "  he  spoke  now  so 
reverently  that  I  knew  his  thoughts  were  with 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

his  dead  wife — "  a  woman  is  so  small,  so  soft, 
so  yielding." 

I  smiled  as  across  my  memory  there  flashed 
the  picture  of  his  daughter  as  I  had  seen  her 
when  I  first  came  to  the  colony  ten  years  before. 
Little  she  was,  it  is  true,  but  not  for  her  seven 
years  of  life.  Soft  and  yielding?  No.  With 
the  hardihood  of  a  young  Indian  and  the  de 
termination  of  all  her  Huguenot  ancestors  she 
had  ruled  her  little  kingdom  of  slaves  with  the 
absolute  power  of  a  despot.  No  man  could 
foretell  what  change  had  been  wrought  in  her 
during  the  ten  years  spent  in  France — ten  years 
in  which  her  time  had  been  divided  between  the 
teachings  of  the  nuns  of  her  convent  school  and 
at  the  gayest  and  most  corrupt  court  in  Europe 
— but  I  knew  they  could  not  have  made  her 
soft  and  yielding.  If  so  why  came  she  back  to 
Carolina ;  why  left  she  the  bright,  gay  life  of  a 
court,  where  the  king  himself  smiled  on  her,  to 
return  of  her  own  free  will — yea  at  her  own 
insistence,  for  I  had  seen  her  letter  begging 
to  come — to  a  land  where  only  hardships 
awaited  her  ?  I  smiled  at  the  unlikeness  of  his 
description ;  and  then,  with  sudden  shame  I  re 
membered  the  stress  in  which  I  stood  and  sor 
rowed  that  I  should  have  so  little  steadfastness 
in  thoughts  not  of  this  world.  Seeing  that  all 
tilings  were  ready  for  our  death  Huguenin  and 

14 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TO  UNO 

I  clasped  hands,  we  looked  into  each  other's  eyes 
for  the  last  time,  and  then  turned  to  wait  the 
coming  of  our  tormentors. 

They  rushed  at  us  a  dozen  strong  and  laying 
hold  on  us,  stripped  us  to  the  skin.  Leading  us 
up  the  slope  with  backs  to  and  within  a  few 
paces  of  the  fire  they  left  us  standing  unbound 
and  facing  them.  We  were  first  to  serve  as 
targets  for  the  arrows  of  the  twin  sons  of  the 
chief — they  were  still  but  boys  and  this  was 
their  first  march  on  the  war-path.  Before  life 
was  extinct,  for  it  was  possible  we  would  be  but 
slightly  wounded,  would  come  the  barbecue. 
My  eyes  turned  down  the  slope  to  the  pits  with 
their  beds  of  fiery  coals  and  the  piles  of  strong, 
slender  poles  on  which  we  were  to  be  bound 
and  stretched.  I  glanced  at  the  Indians.  They 
had  raised  their  eyes  from  the  ground  and  were 
looking  steadfastly  at  us.  The  two  boy  war 
riors  were  only  waiting  the  signal  to  let  fly  their 
arrows.  I  understood  how,  in  their  heathen 
pride,  they  valued  indifference  to  danger  and 
suffering,  and  I  determined  that  they  should 
see  no  sign  of  fear  in  me,  as  I  knew  they  would 
find  none  in  the  older  soldier  who  stood  at  my 
side  gazing  so  calmly  upon  them. 

My  eyes  left  their  impassive  faces  and 
traveled  over  the  forest  toward  Charleston.  The 
sky  was  bright  with  stars  and  some  little  of  the 

'5 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

soft  radiance  from  the  silver  crescent  that  I 
knew  still  floated  above  the  horizon  at  my 
back.  The  gleam  of  a  magnolia  blossom 
caught  my  eye  as  the  pale  face  of  a  woman 
smiling  through  the  tree  tops.  The  breeze,  in 
creased  by  the  draught  of  the  flames,  brought 
to  my  nostrils  the  heavy  perfumes  of  the  wild 
honeysuckle  and  the  locust  blossom.  The  faint 
coo  of  the  mourning  dove  came  to  me  from  the 
bottoms,  while  from  the  near-by  forest  sounded 
the  harsh  cry  of  the  whippoorwill.  The  river 
chafing  against  the  bluff  murmured,  "  Come 
to  me,  come  to  me,  come  to  me."  It  could  only 
have  been  a  minute  that  we  stood  there  waiting, 
but  with  every  heart  beat  there  came  to  me  that 
whisper  of  the  river.  Then  came  a  sharp,  sing 
ing  whistle  past  my  ear,  the  twang  of  a  bow 
string  and  the  man  at  my  side  quivered.  I 
knew  that  the  most  miraculous  of  all  miracles 
had  happened.  I  had  been  missed  by  an  arrow 
from  the  bow  of  an  Indian. 

There  followed  a  silence  such  as  broods  before 
the  rush  of  a  whirlwind.  "  Come  to  me,  come 
to  me,"  whispered  the  river.  I  turned  and  with 
a  mighty  effort  sprang  through  the  flames  and 
fell  headlong  over  the  top  of  the  bluff  into  the 
waters  beneath. 

The  rapid  current  pushed  me  down  the 

16 


"  With  a  mighty  effort  I  sprang  through   the  JJamfs 
and  fell  headlong  over  the  bluff. ^ 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

stream  and  I  rose  to  the  surface  a  good  distance 
below  the  spot  where  I  sank,  but  not  beyond 
the  reach  of  my  enemies  as  I  was  made  to  know 
by  the  whistle  of  their  arrows  only  a  moment 
after  my  head  showed  above  water.   I  dived  and 
came  up  on  the  farther  side  of  a  log  toward  the 
other  shore  of  the  stream.    My  tormentors  had 
come  down  from  the  bluff  and  were  running  up 
and  down  on  the  bank  watching  for  me  to  rise 
and  making  trial  with  their  arrows  of  the  qual 
ity  of  every  object  that  floated  on  the  water. 
Some  of  the  most  determined  spied  my  pro 
tecting  log  and  put  out  from  the  bank,  their 
weapons  held  high  above  their  heads.     I  was 
unarmed  and  I  knew  that  my  only  chance  for 
life  lay  in  keeping  to  the  water.     I  grasped  a 
broken  limb  of  my  driftwood  fort  and  pushed 
the  log  boldly  into  the  current.     There  came  a 
shower  of  arrows  from    those    on    the  shore, 
that  struck  the  log  or  dropped  into  the  stream 
beyond,  while  the  swimmers  in  the  river  shouted 
and   redoubled   their  efforts  to   reach   me.      I 
strained  every  effort  to  increase  the  speed  of 
my  fortress,  keeping  my  head  well  down  and 
using  my  free  arm  and  my  legs  in  forcing  it 
through  the  water.    After  a  time  when  I  dared 
to  raise  my  head  sufficiently  to  look  back,  it  was 
to  find  my  pursuers  either  gone  ashore  or  fallen 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

far  behind  in  the  river.  A  few  more  strong 
strokes  and  I  threw  my  right  arm  over  the  log, 
and  drifted  with  the  current. 

Thinking  of  the  brave  man  left  behind  and 
the  tortures  which  I  knew  would  be  his  I 
strained  my  eyes  and  tried  to  distinguish  move 
ments  on  the  bluff.  The  fire  had  faded  to  a 
crimson  glow  and  the  shouts  and  calls  of  the 
searchers  had  become  as  faint  as  echoes.  Far 
behind,  the  river  appeared  a  narrowing  band  of 
silver  ribbon  above  which  the  dark  boughs  of 
the  trees  that  overhung  its  tall  bluff  seemed  to 
meet.  On  either  hand,  as  I  floated,  the  water 
spread  out  over  the  low  grounds  or  washed 
against  gently  sloping  embankments.  From 
below,  around  the  curve  in  the  bank,  came  the 
hoarse  gurgle  of  shoals.  Once,  as  I  was  swept 
along,  nearer  the  bank,  a  herd  of  deer  that 
stood  belly-deep  in  the  shallows,  bounded  up 
the  bank  with  snorts  and  plunged  into  the  for 
est.  Half  turning  to  look  after  them  my  eye 
caught  the  glint  of  some  movement  on  the  log 
behind  me.  I  looked  closely.  It  was  a  human 
arm  glistening  brown  and  muscular.  Farther 
back  towards  the  end  of  the  log  I  made  out  an 
other  and  I  knew  that  my  enemies  were  again 
almost  upon  me. 

Half  turning  my  face  down  stream  I  watched 
furtively  for  what  I  knew  was  on  the  other 

18 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

side  of  the  log.  It  came — the  head  of  an  In 
dian,  until  the  eyes  glinted  above  the  top  of  the 
log,  watching  me  narrowly.  Then  the  glisten 
ing  arm  moved  a  few  inches  nearer,  and,  though 
I  could  not  see  it,  I  knew  that  the  one  at  the 
end  of  the  log  would  follow.  The  space  of  a 
moment  and  again  the  glittering  eyes  appeared. 
The  arm  was  slowly  withdrawn  and  when  it 
returned  I  caught  the  flash  of  steel  in  the  star 
light  and  knew  that  the  time  to  strike  had  come. 
With  a  loudly  muttered  curse  I  threw  my  free 
arm  across  the  log  and  stretched  my  limbs  in  the 
water  as  though  seeking  relief  after  a  strained 
position.  As  lightning  strikes  I  seized  the 
brown  arm,  and  twisted  the  wrist  until  I  could 
feel  the  bones  give  way;  I  snatched  the  knife 
from  the  unresisting  fingers  and  rising  in  the 
water  drove  its  blade  deep  into  the  breast  of  the 
brown  creature  who  struggled  on  the  other  side 
of  the  log. 

I  had  but  time  to  draw  it  out  when  his 
fellow  was  upon  me.  Back  and  forth  we 
Struggled,  struck  and  parried,  each  trying  to 
keep  his  hold  on  the  floating  timber.  Twice  I 
felt  the  keen  edge  of  his  knife  drink  my  blood 
and  three  times  I  sank  my  blade  into  his  body 
but  never  to  touch  a  vital  part.  Once,  resting 
against  the  log,  we  glared  at  each  other.  Then 
he  loosened  his  hold  and  threw  himself  upon  me 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

with  the  force  and  quickness  of  a  catamount. 
Down,  down  he  pushed  me,  one  hand  clutching 
my  throat  while  with  the  other  he  sought  to 
drive  his  knife  into  my  heart.  Now  out,  now 
under,  we  struggled  until  I  felt  my  strength 
giving  away  and  my  senses  leaving  me  from 
the  pressure  on  my  throat.  Making  one  mighty 
effort  to  free  myself  I  rose  to  the  surface  and 
attempted  to  drive  my  dagger  home,  but  my 
enemy  was  too  great  for  me  and  I  sank  again, 
almost  unconscious.  Suddenly  I  felt  bottom 
and  knew  that  we  were  upon  the  shoals.  Fixing 
my  feet  firmly  against  the  rocks,  with  one  final 
desperate  effort  I  shook  the  clutch  from  my 
throat  and  grasped  my  foe  by  the  scalp  lock. 
Down  beneath  the  surface  I  forced  his  head  and 
with  all  my  strength  held  him  away  from  me 
and  against  the  swiftly  moving  current.  Like 
some  brown  monster  he  battled  with  the  water 
to  get  at  me  but  could  not.  Gradually  the  move 
ments  of  his  limbs  became  less  violent ;  he 
struggled  no  more,  and  after  a  time,  my 
strength  being  well  nigh  spent,  I  loosened  my 
hold  and  allowed  him  to  be  swept  past  me  on 
to  the  sharp  rocks  of  the  shoal. 

It  was  nigh  twelve  o'clock  when  I  left  the 
water  and  staggering  up  the  bank  fell  exhausted 
under  a  clump  of  willows.  I  lay  as  I  fell,  face 
downwards  upon  the  grass,  for  God  knows  how 

20 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

long.  It  seemed  but  a  moment  in  which  I  drew 
my  breath,  yet  when  I  roused  myself  and  rose 
to  my  feet  I  knew  that  I  must  have  slept  perhaps 
for  hours.  It  was  hard  going  through  the 
woods  with  the  blackness  of  night  around  me. 
Once,  when  passing  through  a  forest  of  moss- 
draped  oaks  and  hickories  that  skirted  the 
river  I  could  not  see  the  stars  and,  losing  my 
way.  went  back  upon  my  track  to  come  out  upon 
the  banks  of  the  Isundiga  not  far  below  the 
shoals.  I  attempted  to  cross  the  cypress  pond 
and  I  came  near  going  down  in  a  quicksand. 
Struggling  out  of  that  danger  I  made  cautiously 
for  the  dry  ground  only  to  be  warned  by  an 
angry  rattle  that  the  most  venomous  of  reptiles 
was  on  its  way  to  or  from  its  drinking  place. 

Cold  sweat  sprang  out  upon  me  at  this  re 
minder  of  a  loathsome  enemy  and  I  fled  away 
from  the  water  into  the  woods,  forgetful  alike 
of  my  naked  body,  of  my  bruised  and  bleeding 
feet  and  of  the  direction  that  I  was  taking.  Leav 
ing  the  belt  of  pines  I  came  out  upon  a  little 
open  strip  and  stopped  to  take  my  bearing.  The 
air  was  sweet  with  the  perfumes  of  wild  flowers 
and  the  soft  grassy  turf  was  grateful  to  my  sore 
and  burning  feet.  I  glanced  about  me  and  my 
heart  gave  one  great  throb  as  before  me  rose, 
tall  and  pallid  in  the  starlight,  that  shrub  most 
fearsome  to  all  creeping  things.  Its  presence 

21 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

meant  protection  against  at  least  one  of  my 
many  foes  of  the  forest ;  gratefully  I  parted  its 
low  hanging  boughs,  with  their  profusion  of 
white  fringe-like  blossoms  and  tender  new 
leaves,  and  stretched  myself  on  the  grass  at  its 
roots. 

At  length  daylight  came  and  I  could  press  on. 
I  left  my  resting  place  beneath  the  branches  of 
the  grand-daddy-grey-beard  and  struck  out  due 
southeast.  The  birds  had  only  just  begun  to 
stir.  As  I  passed  under  the  pines  I  saw  a  couple 
of  old  raccoons  followed  by  a  half  dozen  young 
ones  walking  towards  the  swamp.  They  stopped 
and  stared  at  me  in  the  half  light ;  then  they 
walked  sedately  on.  A  company  of  musquasses 
playing  hide  and  seek  in  the  tree-tops,  chased 
each  other  down  and  across  my  path  without 
fear.  Even  a  fox,  that  most  knowing  of  all  the 
denizens  of  the  forest,  paid  no  heed  to  me  but 
continued  his  wallowings  in  the  sand,  though  I 
passed  so  close  to  him  that  my  foot  touched 
the  brush  of  his  tail.  So  it  was  that  a  white 
man,  created  in  the  image  of  his  maker,  coming 
naked  into  the  forest,  the  birds  and  the  beasts 
saw  me  and  were  not  afraid.  As  the  sun  climbed 
above  the  horizon  I  turned  from  my  path  in 
search  of  some  stream,  great  or  small,  with  the 
hope  of  satisfying  my  hunger  on  wrild  berries, 
and  of  breaking  my  trail  in  case  I  was  followed 

22 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

by  Indians.  I  had  not  far  to  seek  before^  I  came 
upon  such  a  stream,  a  tiny  rivulet ;  there,  having 
quenched  my  thirst,  I  began  to  satisfy  the  crav 
ings  of  my  stomach  with  the  berries  that  grew 
in  great  abundance  on  its  banks.  Then  the  call 
of  a  blue  jay  attracted  my  attention  and  caused 
me  to  fume  with  rage.  The  trees  seemed  alive 
with  birds  and  the  air  resounded  with  their 
songs  and  calls.  They  flitted  over  and  around 
me  as  though  I,  with  them,  was  one  of  the  crea 
tures  of  the  forest.  The  sharp  discordant  note 
of  the  jaybird  seemed  to  challenge  me  with  its 
persistence  and  looking  up  I  spied  him  seated  on 
a  branch  over  my  head  watching  me  with  sus 
picious  eyes.  For  a  space,  as  I  looked  at  him, 
his  call  stopped,  then  rising,  he  flew  to  the  top 
most  branch  of  a  tall  tree  where  he  screamed, 
"  Shame,  shame,  man,  man.  Shame,  shame, 
man,  man,"  until  the  forest  resounded  with 
the  jarring  call  of  this  tribute-taker  to  the  devil; 
and  the  birds  and  animals,  thus  warned  against 
me,  either  fled  or  hid  at  my  coming. 

For  three  days  and  three  nights  I  fought  my 
way  through  the  forest.  Many  times  my  life 
was  in  danger  from  wild  beasts  and  twice  I  was 
pursued  by  Indians.  Once  the  night  drawing 
on  shielded  me,  and  once,  coming  to  the  Ashepo 
river,  I  buried  myself  in  the  tall  grass.  All  day 
I  lay  in  the  mud  and  water  under  the  scorch- 

23 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

ing  of  a  hot  May  sun.  When  darkness  fell  I 
crawled  out,  miles  up  the  stream  from  where  I 
had  entered  it,  and  hastened  on  toward  Charles 
ton.  That  day  dawned  and  passed  away  but  I 
stopped  not.  Snatching  handfuls  of  wild 
berries  I  pushed  on.  Landmarks  became  more 
familiar  and  my  bearings  easier  to  hold.  Game 
was  less  plentiful  and  more  shy.  In  the  after 
noon  I  came  upon  a  herd  of  swine,  rooting  and 
wallowing  in  a  swampy  low-ground  and  knew 
that  my  journey  was  almost  at  an  end. 

It  w?as  good  dusk  when  I  came  upon  a  clear 
ing,  and  a  field  of  growing  maize.  I  ran  across 
the  open  space  trampling  the  young  grain  un 
der  my  feet.  I  scaled  the  palisade,  and  pound 
ing  upon  the  gate,  called  aloud  to  those  whom  I 
knew  must  be  within.  My  call  was  answered 
and  when  I  had  stated  my  name  and  condition 
the  gate  was  opened  and  I  entered. 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 


THE  man  whose  demesne  I  thus  entered 
was  Master  Bernard  Schinking,  one  of 
that  company  of  Dutch  who,  driven 
from  Nova  Belgia,  sought  refuge  in  Carolina 
some  four  years  after  my  arrival  from  England. 
I  knew  him  well  from  the  reports  of  others 
though  I  had  seen  him  but  seldom  and  had 
never  before  held  speech  \vith  him.  Some  two 
years  back  his  fellows,  worn  out  by  the  con 
tinued  hostilities  of  the  Westeos  had  pulled  up 
stakes,  and  abandoned  the  little  Carolina  city 
of  Jamestown,  the  foundation  of  which  they 
had  laid  south  of  the  Ashley  river;  then  they 
scattered  among  the  English  and  French 
settlers  in  the  counties  of  Berkeley  and  Craven, 
leaving  Schinking  the  only  inhabitant  of  that 
once  prosperous  settlement. 

"  I  go  not  into  Charleston,  Captain  Middle- 
ton,  except  to  buy  such  commodities  as  cannot 
be  raised  on  my  estates ;  so  it  is  not  strange  that 
I  had  not  heard  of  the  attack  against  you  and 
Colonel  Huguenin,"  he  said  presently.  He  had 
given  me  food  and  clothing  and  listened  to 

25 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

my  adventure  as  we  sat  smoking  on  the  steps 
of  his  house.  "  But  of  one  thing  I  make  sure; 
you  have  been  followed,  for  Quarry  is  too  true 
a  friend  of  his  people  to  let  such  an  outrage 
pass  unavenged.  Furthermore  a  raid  into  the 
country  of  a  hostile  Indian  nation,  provoked  by 
their  own  misdeeds,  would  give  him  too  good 
an  opportunity  for  the  taking  of  more  slaves  to 
be  sold  into  the  Barbadoes.  It  is  a  traffic  of 
which  I  approve  not,  but  our  Governor  is  a 
good  man  and  true  and  in  all  else  I  uphold  him 
though  the  proprietors  like  him  not.  He  says, 
and  many  of  his  council  with  him,  that  it  would 
be  best  to  capture  all  these  red  devils  and  ship 
them  south  to  be  sold  as  slaves  to  the  planters 
of  the  Indies.  Thus  only,  they  think,  can  the 
country  be  made  safe  for  the  Colony.  I  do  not 
agree  with  them,  though  I  like  not  the  Indians. 
To  my  thinking  all  the  braves  and  squaws  peo 
pling  this  vast  continent  are  not  worth  that 
noble  gentleman  whom  you  report  as  being 
killed  at  their  hands." 

"  Have  you  seen  a  ship  go  up  the  river?  "  I 
asked,  for  now  Huguenin's  last  words  recurred 
to  me.  "  When  we  were  captured  he  was  daily 
expecting  his  daughter." 

"His  daughter?"  he  asked,  blowing  blue 
rings  into  the  air.  "  The  little  maid  of  whom 
he  was  so  fond  and  yet  would  send  back  to 

26 


The  Arms  of  the  Huguenins. 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

France  that  he  might  not  break  his  word  to  his 
dying  wife?  So!  she  comes  back  to  this  wil 
derness,"  he  mused.  "  Leaves  the  brilliant 
court  of  the  great  Louis,  who,  I  have  heard, 
smiled  on  her,  calling  her  his  beautiful  here 
tic?" 

"  It  was  her  wish  to  come,"  I  replied  to  the 
questioning  in  his  tone. 

"  'Tis  a  strange  thing — the  fortunes  of  this 
LIuguenin  family,"  he  said,  as  he  refilled  his 
pipe.  "  By  fire  and  sword  have  they  been  tried, 
and  still  they  always  remain  true  to  the  creed 
to  which  their  ancestor  gave  his  name.  Colo 
nel  Huguenin's  grandfather  was  tossed  by  his 
mother  from  an  upper  window  in  the  city 
prison  of  Orleans,  when  that  building  was  set 
on  fire  by  a  mob  to  burn  the  Huguenot  prison 
ers.  Other  children,  so  thrown,  were  received 
on  the  pikes  of  the  soldiers  or  afterwards  mur 
dered.  But  this  Huguenin,  the  last  child  of  his 
race,  was  caught  by  a  servant  of  the  aged  Renee 
of  Ferrara,  who,  being  the  daughter  of  a  king, 
dared  to  be  a  Protestant.  She  protected  the 
child,  though  she  was  forced  to  have  him  raised 
in  the  faith  of  a  Catholic.  True  to  his  blood, 
he  grew  up  a  heretic  despite  the  teachings  of 
the  priests.  Now  his  grandchild  with  a  Catholic 
mother,  born  among  the  buccaneers  of  His- 
paniola — " 

27 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

"  Born  among  the  buccaneers  of  Hispani- 
ola!  "  I  exclaimed. 

"  Aye,"  he  answered,  looking  at  me  in  sur 
prise  that  having  lived  so  long  a  friend  of  Hu- 
guenin's,  I  had  not  heard  this.  "  Did  you  not 
know  that  the  ship  in  which  Huguenin  and  his 
wife  left  France  was  captured  by  a  Spaniard 
which  in  turn  was  taken  by  a  buccaneer  ship  in 
command  of  Henry  Morgan?  Yes;  the  same 
pirate  chief  whom  your  good  King  Charles  was 
so  ready  to  knight  for  the  sacking  of  Puerto 
Bello  and  other  Spanish  towns  of  the  Indies. 
Huguenin  had  stolen  his  wife  from  her  convent 
school  and  together  they  fled  from  France 
hoping  to  reach  a  more  northern  settlement  in 
America.  Other  prisoners  taken  on  that  Span 
ish  galleon  were  made  to  walk  the  plank  or  were 
hung  at  the  yard  arm,  but  Huguenin.  because 
of  the  persecutions  that  had  always  followed  his 
family  as  well  as  his  daring  in  stealing  his  wife, 
was  not  only  spared,  but  taken  to  Hispaniola, 
the  buccaneers'  stronghold,  where  Captain 
Henry  Morgan  appointed  him  to  a  position  of 
importance.  Though  they  received  all  consid 
eration  his  \vife  pined  away  with  longing  for 
more  gentle  company,  until  Morgan  seeing  her 
unhappiness,  after  the  birth  of  her  child,  took 
them  to  England  whence  they  sailed  to  this  Col 
ony.  Now,  this  child,  after  ten  years  in  that 

28 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

same  convent  school  from  which  her  mother 
fled  and  in  the  midst  of  the  gayest  and  most 
corrupt  court  of  Europe,  comes  back  to  her 
heretic  father,  of  her  own  free  will,  though  the 
only  home  he  has  to  give  her  is  in  the  wilderness 
and  the  only  life  she  has  to  look  forward  to  is 
one  of  great  hardship.  It  is  bred  in  the  bone 
and  I  warrant  could  not  be  washed  out  this  little 
maid  by  the  teachings  of  all  the  nuns  in  Chris 
tendom.  You  have  seen  her.  What  manner  of 
child  was  she  when  she  left  the  Colony?  " 

"  The  veriest  little  termagant,"  I  answered. 
"  Her  mother  died  the  year  that  I  arrived  in  the 
settlement,  when  young  Mistress  was  but  four 
years  old.  The  whole  estate  was  at  her 
bidding,  father,  servants,  animals,  all  and 
everything  were  made  to  give  way  to  her 
whims." 

"  Yet  they  tell  me  that  she  was,  even  in  those 
days,  a  wondrous  little  beauty." 

"So  she  was,"  I  replied;  "for  when  heard 
you  of  a  female  thing  so  humored  and  petted, 
who  had  not  beauty.  Though  she  was  scarce 
more  than  a  baby  when  she  went  away  ten  years 
ago,  I  remember  that  men  turned  from  all  else 
when  Mistress  Antoinette  Huguenin  was  by. 
And  the  little  devil  would  have  it  so,  for  once 
while  I  talked  with  her  father  when  she  would 
have  me  look  at  the  tricks  of  the  young  bear 

29 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

she  was  training,  she  flew  at  me  like  a  veritable 
fury,  cuffed  me  soundly  and  flung  out  of  the 
room  vowing  that  she  would  not  see  me  again 
until  she  returned  from  France.  And  she  did 
not,  though  I  traveled  miles  and  searched  for 
days  for  flowers  to  please  her.  '  Send  the  lout 
away,'  she  would  say  to  her  father  when  he  car 
ried  her  my  flowers  and  would  have  made  my 
peace.  '  He  hath  the  manners  of  a  stable-boy 
and  I  will  not  see  him  until  I  return  from 
France  '  She  hath  the  temper  of  the  veriest 
shrew." 

'  Yea,"  he  answered,  "  and  the  steadfastness 
of  a  Huguenin,  which  is  a  virtue  rare  in 
woman." 

We  sat  awhile  longer  making  clouds  of 
smoke,  until  a  whippoorwill  uttering  its  call 
close  to  the  palisade  aroused  me.  "  I  was 
dreaming,"  I  exclaimed,  starting  up,  "  and  for 
got  that  I  must  pass  to-night  in  Charleston." 

"  I,  too,  was  dreaming,"  Master  Schinking 
cried,  rising  also. 

He  called  to  his  servants,  who  had  retired 
to  their  huts  a  hundred  yards  away,  and  bade 
them  bring  to  the  gate  the  horse  that  I  was  to 
ride.  When  we  heard  the  beast's  tramping, 
he  followed  me  down  to  the  gate. 

"  Take  my  counsel,  Captain  Middleton,"  he 
said  as  I  swung  myself  into  the  saddle,  "  and 

3° 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

do  your  utmost  to  prevail  on  Governor  Quarry 
to  send  a  searching  party  to-morrow.  There  is 
that  within  me  that  tells  me  that  Hugiienin  is 
not  dead,  and  it  is  our  duty  to  rescue  him  at 
any  cost."  He  extended  his  hand  as  I  gath 
ered  up  my  reins  and  struck  spurs  to  my  horse. 

"  I  will  be  at  the  Governor's  house  to-mor 
row  at  noon  to  lead  the  searchers  to  the  rescue 
of  Colonel  Huguenin,"  I  called  back  over  my 
shoulder. 

"  I  will  meet  you  there,"  he  answered. 

It  was  a  good  two  hours  hard  riding  to  the 
city  and  when  I  came  to  the  gate  I  beat  upon  it 
with  the  handle  of  my  pistol  and  giving  my 
name  called  the  guard  to  open  to  me.  With 
eager  hands  he  drew  the  bolts  and  when  he  saw 
me  alive  and  well  he  would  have  aroused  the 
town  so  great  was  his  joy,  but  I  bade  him  hold 
his  tongue,  and  spurring  my  horse  galloped 
past  him  down  the  street  to  the  Governor's 
house. 

There  was  no  one  on  the  Governor's  porch, 
but  the  door  stood  open  and  there  were  lights 
within.  When  I  came  into  the  hall  I  saw  no 
one  and  passed  on  into  the  great  room  where  I 
knew  the  Governor  was  wont  to  do  his  work. 
He  was  there  and  had  with  him  Master 
Maurice  Mathews,  commissioner  for  my  lords 
the  proprietors ;  Master  Blake,  brother  to  Gen- 

31 


eral  Blake,  who  had  but  recently  joined  us  with 
his  family  and  by  the  marriage  of  whose 
daughter,  Mistress  Elizabeth,  to  Joseph  More- 
ton  the  Sober  Party  hoped  to  strengthen  its 
influence ;  and  my  very  good  friend  and  kins 
man,  Colonel  James  West.  The  three  sat 
around  the  great  table  in  the  middle  of  the 
room  while  West  who  stood,  was  talking  ear 
nestly.  I  did  not  catch  any  of  his  words,  but 
before  I  reached  the  table  Mathews  saw  me 
and  with  blanched  face  cried : 

"Great  God!" 

The  Governor  looked  up ;  Blake  started  to 
his  feet;  West  came  to  me.  He,  too,  touched 
my  arm  and  asked : 

"  Is  it  indeed  you,  cousin  ?  You  for  whose 
death  we  were  planning  revenge?  " 

"  Death  and  I  are  old  comrades,"  I  an 
swered.  "  We  have  marched  together,  slept 
together,  fought  many  a  fight  and  run  many  a 
race.  This  time  I  escaped  him  through  fire  and 
water,  but  I  left  behind  me  in  the  forest  a  gen 
tleman  more  worthy  of  Carolina's  revenge  than 
am  I  were  I  twenty  times  your  kinsman, 
cousin." 

Then  I  told  my  tidings,  describing  our  cap 
ture,  our  march  to  the  north  and  our  wading 
of  the  Cambahee  river  several  miles  southward. 
I  told  of  the  march  to  the  Isundiga,  the 

32 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

wounded  prisoner  and  the  two  fiery  pits  I  had 
left  behind  me  on  Hago  Slago  bluff.  I  finished 
and  stood  there  waiting  their  decision.  I  knew 
that  Huguenin  belonged  to  a  sect  for  whom 
neither  Governor  Quarry  nor  Master  Mathews 
had  any  great  love — for  they  were  narrow  men, 
both  considering  only  the  end  immediately  in 
view.  They  liked  not  the  Frenchman's  popu 
larity  with  the  better  minded  of  the  Colony, 
though  it  was  won  by  the  kindliness  of  his 
nature  and  the  justice  of  his  deeds.  Of  West 
and  Blake  I  felt  secure,  though  I  knew  they 
would  not  be  the  first  to  break  silence.  The 
Governor  was  the  first  to  speak. 

'  Though  it  will  cost  Carolina  a  pretty 
penny,  gentlemen," — I  knew  at  the  time  he 
purposed  to  line  his  purse  with  yellow  gold 
gained  from  Indian  captives  sold  to  the  Bar- 
badoes,  and  he  only  regretted  it  was  in  behalf 
of  Huguenin  the  expedition  was  undertaken — 
"  and  call  forth  the  displeasure  of  our  lords 
the  proprietors — in  whose  good  books,  you 
know,  I  do  not  stand  too  high — it  must  be  as 
Captain  Micldleton  suggests.  Else  how  could 
we  face  young  Mistress  his  daughter  ? "  he 
cried,  laughing. 

'The  ship  has  come?"  I  asked,  startled. 
Until  mention  of  the  girl,  I  had  forgotten  that 
she  was  expected. 

33 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

"  Two  days  since,"  West  answered,  for  it 
was  to  him  that  I  had  turned  my  eyes.  "  Be 
fore  my  return  with  the  first  party  of  search 
ers." 

"  Zounds !  man,  and  such  a  beauty,"  cried 
the  Governor  with  a  great  laugh  banging  down 
his  fist  on  the  table.  "  No  man  can  look  at 
aught  else  when  she  is  in  sight — nor  woman 
either  for  that  matter.  Such  eyes,  such  hair, 
and — such  a  temper!  "  he  cried,  with  another 
loud  laugh,  and  I  knew  the  nuns  had  taken 
none  of  the  fire  out  of  Mistress  Antoinette. 
"  If  you  could  have  heard  her  berate  me  be 
cause  every  man  of  us  had  not  gone  in  search  of 
you  and  her  father.  You,  Jack ;  yes,  you.  She 
was  as  much  concerned  for  your  safety  as 
though  you  had  been  her  lover." 

"  I  played  with  her  in  her  father's  house 
when  she  was  a  little  maid,  scarce  more  than  a 
baby,  and  I  fear  I  often  teased  her  just  to  see 
her  in  her  tantrums,"  I  said  gravely,  though  it 
\vas  like  wine  to  know  that  she  remembered 
me  and  could  say  aught  in  my  favor. 

"  Would  that  I  could  tease  her  or  do  aught 
else  to  make  her  speak  up  for  me  as  she  did  for 
you,  man,"  Mathews  cried.  "  She  had,  like  a 
lesson,  all  your  good  deeds  and  she  recited  them 
for  our  benefit.  She  all  but  flung  herself  into 
Colonel  West's  arms  because  he  had  been  out 

34 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

with    the    searchers    and    said    he    would    go 
again." 

"  To  me,  Jack,"  said  West,  when  I  again 
appealed  to  him  with  my  eyes,  "  she  has  a 
sweetness  more  alluring  even  than  her  great 
beauty.  Her  voice  was  not  imperious  when  she 
spoke  to  me,  but  of  a  pleading  sweetness  like 
softest  music."  I  knew  that  Mistress  Antoi 
nette  had  lost  none  of  her  witchery  and  I  lis 
tened  with  eager  ears  as  he  went  on.  "  She 
spoke  of  her  father's  faithfulness  to  his  friends, 
of  his  respect  for  her  mother's  dying  wish  to 
have  her  educated  as  a  Catholic,  of  his  noble 
ness  to  her,  and  she  blamed  herself  for  remain 
ing  in  France,  frittering  away  her  time  in  the 
vapid  pursuits  of  court,  while  he  endured  the 
loneliness  and  hardships  of  the  life  here  in 
America.  She  referred  to  you  as  her  old  play 
fellow  and  her  father's  true  friend  whom  he 
had  praised  in  all  his  letters.  In  one  breath 
she  is  broken-hearted  and  laments  her  father  as 
dead,  while  in  the  next  she  will  not  believe  in 
his  death  and  rails  out  against  us  all  as  cowards 
and  false-hearted  friends  for  not  trying  to  save 
him  from  the  Indians." 

"  That  is  but  natural  in  a  woman,  especially 
in  so  young  a  maid,"  said  Master  Blake  whose 
efforts  were  always  pacific.  "  Even  in  the 
depths  of  her  despair  a  woman  loses  not  her 

35 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

faith  in  the  goodness  of  God — call  it  hope  an 
you  will — but  it  never  leaves  her,  so  long  as 
reason  holds.  Blessed  it  is  for  man  that  she 
is  so.  Mistress  Antoinette  will  give  you  good 
welcome.  Captain  Middleton,  though  it  will 
seem  hard  to  her  that  you  bring  not  more 
hopeful  news." 

"Does  she  stop  with  you,  sir?"  I  asked, 
glad  to  think  that  she  had  found  friends  in  such 
a  worthy  household,  though  they  had  recently 
come  from  England  and  knew  her  father  but 
slightly. 

"  She  did  until  to-day,"  he  answered, 
"  when  she  would  go  to  her  father's  estate 
down  the  river.  We  opposed  it  for  as  long  as 
there  seemed  a  hope  of  changing  her,  but,  when 
we  found  that  she  could  not  be  moved,  my 
daughter,  Mistress  Elizabeth  Moreton,  and  her 
husband  accompanied  her.  They  spend  the 
night  in  her  father's  house  with  such  of  his 
servants  as  escaped  the  Indians  and  a  dozen 
men  to  guard  them." 

"  She  could  have  had  every  man  in  the  town 
to  guard  her,  Jack,"  cried  the  Governor. 
"  Why,  man !  but  they  all  were  dying  to  go. 
Some  of  them  begged,  went  down  on  their 
knees,  but  my  lady  would  have  none  of  them. 
'  I  thank  you  kindly,  gentlemen,'  said  she.  '  I 

36 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

will  be  among"  my  father's  people,  his  kind  and 
faithful  servants,  who  will  defend  me  with 
their  lives.  Should  the  worst  come  to  the 
worst  I  have  always  by  me  this.'  And  she 
drew  a  dagger  from  her  bosom.  I  give  you 
my  word,  Jack  Middleton,  even  the  sight  of 
that  little  blade  made  me  shiver,  for  I  know 
right  well  that  a  scratch  from  it  means  death. 
It  was  a  most  murderous  looking  little  weapon 
in  spite  of  its  dainty  size  and  the  jewels  that 
blazed  on  its  hilt.  And  I  warrant  you  that  her 
hand  will  not  fail  her  should  the  time  come  to 
use  it." 

"  God  grant  it  never  may !  "  I  cried,  starting 
up  and  striding  towards  the  door,  stung  to 
action  by  the  mere  thought  of  the  dangers 
which  surrounded  her  in  this  land  to  which  I 
knew,  in  her  mind,  her  duty  to  her  father 
bound  her. 

"  You  cannot  go  now,  Jack,"  West  hastened 
to  say.  "  You  must  sleep  the  night  with  me 
and  at  dawn  we  will  ride  out  to  your  planta 
tion.  From  there  we  can  go  over  to  give  her 
the  news  of  the  Governor's  promise  and  be 
back  here  to  meet  Master  Bernard  Schinking 
at  noon." 

"  So  be  it,"  I  replied,  seeing  the  \visdom  of 
his  advice,  yet  loath  to  follow  it  since  it  kept 

37 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

me  a  few  hours  longer  from  the  side  of  Mis 
tress  Antoinette  Huguenin,  whom  I  had  not 
seen  since  she  was  a  little  maid  of  seven  and 
whom  then  I  had  sworn  at  as  having  the  tem 
per  of  a  veritable  imp. 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 


IT  was  at  the  very  crack  of  dawn  that 
West  and  I  mounted  our  horses  and  set 
out  for  Colonel  Huguenin's  plantation. 
The  town  gate  was  quickly  opened,  for  we  car 
ried  the  Governor's  pass,  though  there  would 
have  been  few  to  question  Colonel  West  or  any 
who  rode  with  him  in  or  out  the  city  at  any 
hour.  Once  through  the  gate  we  clapped  spurs 
to  our  horses  and  galloped  down  the  river. 
For  near  three  hours  we  rode  and  it  was  hard 
riding,  our  road  as  often  leading  through  the 
mire  of  the  marshes  that  skirted  the  river  and 
the  coast,  as  through  the  forest.  The  sun 
gazing  like  a  great  eye  half  above  the  horizon, 
fired  all  it  touched,  and  at  last  passing  through 
a  strip  of  forest,  \ve  came  upon  the  clearing  and 
in  sight  of  my  house. 

"  It  is  a  fine  place,  but  exposed,  Jack,"  said 
West,  as  we  held  our  way  across  the  field  of 
young  hemp.  "  The  land  is  strong  and  the 
house  well  built  but  I  would  that  you  had 
chosen  to  live  nearer  Charleston.  That  Hugue- 
nin,  who  is  an  old  soldier,  and  accustomed  to 

39 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

hardships  and  to  living  away  from  his  kind, 
should  have  built  here  is  no  small  marvel.  But 
that  you,  Jack,  you  who  love  not  solitude  and 
could  have  had  your  pick  of  allotments  should 
prefer  to  live  so  far  in  the  wilderness  is  a  thing 
that  is  beyond  my  understanding." 

"  The  land  is  the  richest  in  the  Colony,  and 
I,  like  Huguenin,  am  fond  of  the  sound  and  the 
smell  of  the  sea.  Though,  perhaps,  you  will 
not  grant  it,  cousin,  I  am  but  little  heedful 
of  imaginary  dangers,"  I  replied,  more  willing 
to  be  cheerful,  now  that  we  could  see  that  all 
things  about  us  were  at  peace. 

"  And  but  little  cautious  against  real  dan 
gers,  as  thy  recent  capture  proves,  Jack,"  he 
answered.  "  For  what  other  planters  so  far 
away  from  the  wall  of  the  town  work  in  their 
fields  day  after  day  without  a  guard  on  the 
watch?  None  but  you,  man,  and  your  neigh 
bor  and  that  hardy  old  Dutch  buccaneer  at 
Jamestown.  He,  it  is  claimed,  has  the  pro 
tection  of  all  the  pirates  on  the  coast  and  the 
Indians  in  the  forest  because  he  stands  be 
tween  them  in  the  bartering  of  pearls  for  rum, 
though  it  be  unlawful  to  the  Governor  and  the 
company.  The  world  credits  to  you  and 
Huguenin  neither  of  these  distinctions,  yet 
neither  of  you  has  shown  great  love  of  settling 
too  near  your  fellows.  It  really  seems,  Jack," 

40 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

he  added,  jestingly,  "  that  even  as  a  baby  you 
loved  the  little  maid  who  now  comes  among 
us  a  court  beauty." 

"  And  who  has  but  to  taste  the  dullness  and 
hardships  of  Carolina  to  return  again  to  that 
same  gayety,"  I  said,  made  bitter  by  the  Gov 
ernor's  report  of  the  sensation  she  had  created 
among  the  men  of  Charleston  and  her  disdain 
ful  treatment  of  their  services.  "  Weary  of 
court  life,  she  wished  new  fields  of  conquests, 
so  she  comes  back  to  the  colony  in  the  new 
world.  'Tis  the  nature  of  her  sex.  She  is  but 
like  other  women,"  I  said,  though  in  my  heart 
I  knew  that  I  lied  and  lied  foully,  for  I,  above 
all  others  who  were  not  of  her  blood,  knew 
of  a  surety  that  she  had  not  come  back  to  the 
colony  for  the  pleasure  of  tying  captives  to  the 
chariot  wheels  of  her  beauty. 

West  no  longer  heeded  me  but  was  gazing 
steadily  towards  the  sea.  Turning  my  eyes 
in  the  same  direction  for  an  instant  I  fancied 
that  I  caught  sight  of  a  stretched  canvas 
through  the  mists,  far  out  towards  the  sunrise. 
It  was  only  for  an  instant;  then  I  realized  that 
it  must  be  but  the  shifting  shapes  of  clouds  and 
mists. 

"  I  thought  it  was  a  sail,"  said  West. 

"  It  was  but  a  drift  in  the  mist  or  a  mares- 
tail  showing  through  the  forest.  I  have  seen 

41 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

them  often,"  I  replied,  more  interested  in  the 
sounds  that  came  to  me  from  the  fields  adjoin 
ing  the  forest  where  I  could  see  my  own  and 
Huguenin's  slaves  working,  guarded  by  two  of 
their  fellows  who  stood  under  the  trees  with 
guns  held  ready  against  the  approach  of  an 
enemy.  I  motioned  to  them. 

"  Moreton  has  put  them  at  their  tasks,"  said 
Colonel  West.  "  He  would  save  your  crop 
against  you  came  back." 

"  More  like  it  is  the  doing  of  Mistress 
Huguenin,"  I  answered.  "  She  was  never  one 
to  let  the  grass  grow  under  her  feet  in  any 
matter  whatsoever." 

"  Will  you  not  turn  aside  to  your  own 
house  ?  "  he  asked. 

I  shook  my  head.  I  was  too  anxious  to  be 
in  other  company ;  but  I  only  said : 

"  We  have  not  the  time,  for  I  must  meet 
Master  Schinking  at  the  Governor's  by  noon. 
Besides,  I  see  no  smoke  and  feel  sure  that  my 
people  must  have  taken  refuge  at  Huguenin's 
and  spent  the  night  there." 

"  Mistress  Antoinette  will  give  you  good 
welcome,"  he  cried. 

"  We  will  see."  I  answered  calmly  enough, 
though  my  heart  was  pounding  so  loudly 
against  my  side  that  I  feared  he  would  hear  it. 
I  spurred  my  horse,  though  it  was  going  well 

42 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

enough,    and   entering   the   barricade   we   ap 
proached  the  house. 

Flowers  and  singing  birds  seemed  every 
where.  The  house  was  built  of  hewn  palmetto 
logs.  It  could  never  have  been  considered  a 
mean  one  in  so  new  a  colony,  and  now  it  was  a 
mass  of  blooming  vines.  The  gardens  were 
bright  with  brilliant  flowers  and  well-trimmed 
hedges.  Birds  flitted  about  singing  as  gaily  as 
in  the  forest  and  we  could  hear  the  drone  of  the 
honey  bees  around  the  hives  against  the  wall  of 
the  barricade.  The  door  stood  open  and  hitch 
ing  our  horses  we  strode  boldly  in.  Mistress 
Moreton  was  in  the  hall  and  seeing  West  gave 
a  little  cry  of  surprise,  and  came  forward  to 
welcome  him ;  but  on  my  coming  under  her 
view  she  started  back  and  sank  white  and 
shaking  on  to  the  settle. 

"  Colonel  Huguenin  ?  "  she  gasped  as  soon 
as  she  could  speak.  "Is  he  with  you?" 

"West  answered  her  for  me,  and  let  her  know 
that  I  would  tell  her  every  detail ;  so  she  led  us 
to  the  piazza,  on  the  side  of  the  house  facing 
the  water. 

"  Antoinette  is  in  the  garret  with  old  Marcie 
searching,  for  I  know  not  what,"  she  said, 
catching  my  look  of  expectancy — and  I  felt 
the  hot  blood  flame  into  my  face  at  being  so 
well  understood.  "  She  has  taken  up  the  duties 

43 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

of  mistress  as  though  she  had  only  been  away 
a  week." 

"  Your  husband.  Mistress  Moreton,  Major 
Daniels,  Will  Thorburn  and  the  rest  who  came 
to  guard  you,  do  they  sleep  so  late  or  are  they 
in  the  field  with  the  slaves?"  asked  West, 
after  I  had  given  my  tidings. 

"La!  no,  sir,"  she  exclaimed,  laughing. 
"  Had  you  but  come  a  few  minutes  earlier  you 
would  have  seen  them  sailing  back  to  Charles 
ton.  Antoinette  would  have  it  that  they  all 
go  back  to  their  own  pursuits.  They  went 
unwillingly  enough,  some  even  begging  to  be 
allowed  to  remain  for  the  sea  air  which  they 
said  they  needed  sadly,  but  she  would  have 
none  of  them.  My  husband  went  specially 
charged  to  urge  the  Governor  to  remember  his 
pledge  to  send  out  another  party  of  searchers. 
She  will  not  believe  her  father  dead,  and  I  fear 
Captain  Middleton's  report  will  make  her  even 
more  sure  and  hopeful.  Would  you  speak  with 
her,  sir?" 

"  If  you  would  but  let  her  know  that  I  bear  a 
message  from  the  Governor,  lady,"  West  re 
plied,  bowing  low  to  her  curtsy. 

She  left  us  seated  on  the  piazza  while  she 
went  in  search  of  Mistress  Antoinette  to  re 
ceive  the  Governor's  message  from  him  who 
had  held  that  office  more  than  once.  Aye,  and 

44 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

filled  it  well,  though  there  be  those  among  our 
lord  proprietors  who  held  Governor  West  in 
disfavor  owing  to  the  weight  of  the  hand  which 
he  laid  on  the  Indians  as  reported  to  them  by 
that  sect  of  discontents  whose  mission  it  has 
ever  been  to  sow  discord  in  any  community 
wherein  they  could  not  rule. 

Thinking  of  these  things  my  mind  drifted 
back  to  my  landing  in  Carolina ;  of  the  strange 
ness  and  fascination  which  the  land  held  for 
me  who  was  scarce  more  than  a  boy  and  yet 
well  accustomed  to  the  wild  roisterings  of  the 
men  of  my  day;  how  in  the  allotment  of  land 
I  had  been  given  my  pick  over  men  of  more 
worth  but  holding  less  influence  among  the 
commissioners;  how,  making  poor  use  of  this 
advantage,  according  to  the  thinking  of  my 
friends,  I  had  chosen  land  away  from  the 
town,  with  no  other  neighbor  than  a  French 
refugee — a  man  unpopular  with  the  majority  of 
the  settlers,  despite  his  learning  and  the  mild 
humanity  of  his  views  and  practices.  I 
thought  of  the  clearing  and  the  tilling  of  this 
land,  and  the  building  of  my  house — in  all  of 
which  this  man  had  ever  been  both  my  help 
and  my  very  wise  counsellor;  of  the  few  rough 
pleasures  and  the  many  hardships,  aye,  dangers 
which  we  had  shared,  making  me  know  the  true 
metal  of  the  man  and  glad  that  he  was  my 

45 


neighbor.  Lastly,  I  thought  of  his  daughter — 
aye,  and  first,  too;  for,  through  all  my 
thoughts,  like  a  golden  thread,  ran  the  memory 
of  that  little  maid  as  I  had  known  her  before 
she  left  us  to  go  to  her  mother's  people  in 
France.  Then  came  her  first  childish  letters 
telling  of  her  quiet  convent  life  and  of  the 
mysteries  of  the  creed  which  the  sisters  strove 
to  teach  her.  They  contained  messages  to  me, 
first  saucy  and  then  more  kind.  Time  passed 
with  her  in  that  quiet  convent  as  well  as  with 
us  in  the  New  World  and  she  left  the  teaching 
of  the  sisters  to  go  into  the  gay  world  of  a 
corrupt  court  where  we  knew  that  a  woman's 
virtue  had  not  the  weight  of  a  thistledown— 
the  king  believed  not  in  it  and  so  boasted.  That 
her  father's  hand  trembled  with  a  feeling  other 
than  pleasure  when  he  broke  the  seals  of  her 
letters  I  knew  full  well  though  neither  of  us 
spoke.  Watching,  I  would  see  the  fear  on  his 
face  pass  away  as  a  shadow  and  his  smile  break 
out  as  the  sun.  Always  he  would  read  me 
those  letters,  bright  with  court  gossip  and  her 
own  merry  jests.  Seldom  and  more  seldom 
she  made  mention  of  me  and  in  so  slight  a 
manner  that  the  words  stung  with  their  cold 
ness.  All  this  I  called  to  mind  and— 

"  My  thanks  are  but  poor  return  for  so  great 
a   favor,   gentlemen,"   were  the   words   which 

46 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

aroused  me  and  they  were  spoken  by  a  voice 
that  made  my  heart  thump  against  my  side.  I 
looked  at  the  speaker  and  drew  a  great  gasping 
breath.  It  was  the  little  Antoinette  grown  to 
womanhood,  but  as  much  more  beautiful  as 
the  lily  than  the  cowslip,  as  the  rose  than  the 
daisy  of  the  fields,  aye,  verily,  as  the  sun  is 
than  the  moon.  Her  clothes — I  cannot  tell 
you  what  she  wore,  not  even  the  color  of  her 
dress.  It  was  Antoinette  the  girl  grown  to 
be  a  most  wondrously  beautiful  woman  that  I 
looked  at.  Her  complexion  \vas  of  that  soft 
creamy  whiteness  of  a  magnolia  petal  and  the 
color  of  her  cheeks,  which  I  knew  to  be  like 
that  of  the  pomegranate  flower  in  richness,  was 
become  faint  as  the  pink  in  the  wild  rose  blos 
som,  while  the  circles  under  her  eyes  showed 
signs  of  much  weeping.  Her  hair,  which  was 
unpowdered,  fell  below  her  waist  a  mass  of 
shining  black  ringlets.  Her  eyes  \vere  on  West 
as  she  stood  before  us  curtsying. 

"  You  bear  a  message  from  the  Governor 
concerning  my  father  ?  "  she  asked,  and  at  the 
mention  of  her  parent's  name  her  lips,  that 
were  of  the  soft  curve  of  a  Cupid's  bow,  trem 
bled. 

An  instant  we  stood  silent  before  her;  for, 
although  both  of  us  were  rated  men  of  quick 
wit  and  had  lived  much  at  court,  we  could  not 

47 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

find  words  with  which  to  answer  her.  Her 
glance  passed  him  and  flashed  to  my  face.  I 
saw  that  she  knew  me.  The  color  flamed  up, 
dyeing  her  face  the  richest  crimson ;  her  eyes 
became  as  stars  in  their  brightness,  and  her 
proud  head  stiffened  on  her  fair,  long  throat. 
She  looked  a  queen  indeed,  and  I  felt — her 
worshipper. 

"  You  left  not  my  father  in  the  forest,  Cap 
tain  Middleton?"  she  said.  ''For  you  were 
his  friend  and  he  rated  you  true." 

Though  her  words  were  sure,  there  was  the 
sharpness  of  doubt  in  her  tone  that  cut  like  a 
knife. 

"  Captain  Middleton  escaped  through  fire 
and  water,  lady,"  West  replied,  for  I  could 
not  command  my  speech.  I  saw  the  color  slip 
from  her  cheeks  and  the  proud  curve  of  her 
lips  were  again  shaken.  "  He  came  back  to  us 
from  the  very  jaws  of  hell  itself,  for  his  cap 
tors  had  everything  prepared  for  his  torture." 

Then  he  told  her  of  my  adventures,  giving 
them  a  color  which  would  have  been  unbecom 
ing  had  the  words  fallen  from  my  lips,  but 
which  lacked  not  in  truthfulness.  He  ended 
with  my  arrival  the  night  before ;  he  delivered 
the  Governor's  message,  taking  pains  to  say 
that  I  had  earnestly  urged  the  expedition  and 
would  go  as  leader  and  guide ;  he  addressed  her 

48 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

as  a  lady  of  the  highest  rank  and,  as  such,  she 
received  his  courtesy. 

"  We  need  not  lose  heart,"  said  Mistress 
Moreton,  who  had  come  back  on  the  piazza 
and  sought  to  offer  consolation  to  Antoinette, 
though  I  could  plainly  see  that  she  understood 
not  the  true  metal  of  the  girl  whose  beauty 
and  queenly  manners  held  her  in  awe. 
"  Your  father  was  only  wounded  and  doubtless 
the  escape  of  Captain  Middleton  made  the  In 
dians  forget  their  watchfulness,  and  your  father 
also  escaped." 

Antoinette  shook  her  head — hers  was  not 
the  blind  hope  against  hope  of  a  \veak  woman, 
but  rather  the  direct  reasoning  of  a  strong 
man,  who  knows  by  experience  the  people  with 
whom  he  contends. 

"  You  mistake.  It  did  but  increase  their 
vigilance,  though  it  may  have  deferred  his 
torture  and  death,"  she  said,  and  neither  West 
nor  I  could  contradict  her.  "  I  thank  you, 
Captain  Middleton,  for  your  haste  in  reaching 
Charleston,  when  your  wounds  and  fatigue 
must  at  least  have  sorely  called  for  your  resting 
the  night  at  Master  Schinking's.  And  now 
though  you  are  scarce  able  to  travel  you  go  to 
lead  the  Governor's  soldiers  to  my  father's 
rescue  ?  " 

"  My  wounds  are  but  scratches,  madam,"  I 

49 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

replied,  bowing  low  before  her.  "  And  a  sol 
dier  of  the  wilderness  knows  not  fatigue  when 
a  friend's  life  stands  in  danger,  and  that  friend 
so  noble  a  gentleman  as  your  father." 

I  saw  the  tears  fill  her  eyes  though  she  met 
my  gaze  boldly  and  without  flinching. 

"  I  could  have  told  your  reply  before  you 
spoke,  Captain  Middleton,"  she  graciously  made 
answer.  "  For  I  hold  in  my  memory  many 
of  your  brave  deeds  before  I  was  sent  a  way 
ward  child  to  France.  I  ill  requited  your 
nobleness,  for  I  was  ever  a  willful  child  and 
should  have  been  soundly  flogged  for  my  im 
pudence." 

I  made  a  bungling  attempt  to  reply  and 
was  right  glad  when  West  seeing  my  confu 
sion  came  to  my  rescue.  He  slapped  me  heart 
ily  on  the  knee  and  exclaimed : 

•  "  I  warrant  you,  madam,  that  he  will  forgive 
the  little  maid  any  affront  she  may  have  put 
upon  him  now  that  he  finds  her  grown  to  wo 
manhood  and  himself  remembered  during  all 
the  years  she  spent  at  court.  Did  he  not.  then  is 
he  not  worthy  of  his  soldierly  title  and  I  will 
straightway  forswear  him  as  my  kinsman.  But 
our  message  delivered,  lady,  we  must  not  tarry 
for  we  meet  at  the  Governor's  house  at  noon 
when  Captain  Middleton  will  receive  his  com- 

5° 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

mand  and  proceed  in  search  of  your  father. 
We  must  ride  back  to  Charleston." 

"  Not  until  you  have  breakfasted,"  she  said. 
signalling  to  a  black  slave  who  stood  in  the 
yard.  "  Mistress  Moreton  and  I  were  but 
preparing  to  take  our  morning  meal  when  you 
arrived." 

She  led  the  way  and  we  seated  ourselves 
about  a  table  near  the  end  of  the  piazza.. 

The  house  was  on  a  small  hillock  and  from 
where  we  sat  a  wide  view  of  the  water  could 
be  obtained  over  the  palisade.  Before  us 
stretched  the  broad  mouth  of  the  river  as  it 
swept  dowrn  to  the  sea.  The  dimpling  water 
reflected  the  rays  of  the  rising  sun  like  myriads 
of  sparkling  gems.  On  the  other  shore,  a  mile 
away,  stretched  the  forest,  the  soft  green  of 
its  foliage  touched  into  gold  by  the  sun  rays. 
On  the  nearer  shore,  almost  from  the  water's 
edge,  extended  the  ploughed  fields,  the  ground 
dark  brown  and  mellow,  above  which  waved 
the  tender  green  of  the  young  maize  and  indigo. 
There  was  not  a  sail  in  sight.  Only  flocks  of 
sea  fowls  in  search  of  food  or  taking  their 
morning  dip  were  to  be  seen. 

"  What  ship  left  the  city  last  night?  "  asked 
Mistress  Antoinette  Huguenin,  seeing  my  eyes 
turn  from  the  water.  "  I  saw  the  sail  this 

51 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

morning  through  a  rift  in  the  mist  as  it  put  out 
to  sea." 

"  It  must  have  been  the  sail  that  we  fancied 
we  saw,  Jack,"  West  said  to  me.  Then,  turn 
ing  to  Mistress  Huguenin,  he  made  reply. 

"  No  ship  sailed  out  last  night,  madam,"  he 
said.  "  What  you  saw  was  but  a  spray  of  mist 
or  a  mares-tail  showing  against  the  sunrise 
through  a  rift  in  the  fog  near  the  shore." 

"  That  cannot  be,  your  Honor,"  Antoinette 
cried — she  had  known  him  as  governor  of  the 
colony.  "  I  saw  the  sail  distinctly.  It  was  but 
for  an  instant  and,  as  you  say,  through  a  rift  in 
the  fog.  Although  I  watched  scanning  the 
horizon  when  the  mist  cleared  away,  it  was  not 
to  be  seen,  so  I  knew  that  it  was  putting  out  to 
sea  and  had  passed  out  of  sight  around  the 
point.  But  that  it  was  a  sail  I  am  sure,  for  I 
saw  it  with  my  own  eyes." 

"  Our  eyes  play  us  strange  tricks  sometimes, 
lady,"  West  said  courteously.  "  Although  we 
saw  it  one  moment  it  disappeared  the  next  and 
was  never  seen  again  though  we  watched  for 
it  most  carefully.  It  was  but  a  mares-tail  or  a 
spray  of  mist.  Captain  Middleton  assures  me 
that  he  has  often  been  deceived  by  such  illu 
sions.  I  am  sure  no  ship  left  the  harbor  nor 
was  there  one  expected  to  enter." 

"  Be  that  as  it  may,"  Antoinette  persisted — 

52 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

not  stubbornly  but  with  a  certain  gracious  de 
cision  that  seemed  only  charming  in  so  beauti 
ful  a  creature.  "  But  I  know  I  saw  a  canvas 
putting  out  to  sea  and  it  was  the  main-top-gal 
lant  of  a  large  ship.  I  have  no  maggots  in  my 
eyes  though  Mistress  Moreton  thinks  that  I 
have  them  in  my  brain  because  it  was  my  pur 
pose  to  go  with  my  own  slaves  in  search  of  my 
father  if  the  Governor  failed  me.  She  caught 
me  searching  for  weapons  with  which  to  arm 
them  when  she  came  to  announce  your  arrival." 

"You  would  have  led  them  yourself?" 
West  cried. 

"Aye!  why  not?  Have  I  not  backed  the 
wildest  of  unbroke  colts — a  very  demon  in 
horse  flesh — and  conquered  him  too?  Captain 
Middleton  will  grant  that  I  knew  \vell  how  to 
handle  firearms  before  I  left  the  colony.  I 
have  forgotten  nothing  in  the  last  ten  years. 
As  for  swords — I  have  crossed  swords  more 
than  once  with  the  Grand  Monarque  himself, 
and  beaten  him  too,  which  few  of  the  gentlemen 
at  court  can  do — not  dare  not,  but  cannot  do, 
for  King  Louis  is  one  of  the  first  swordsmen  in 
Europe  and  proud  of  his  skill.  So  well  did  he 
like  my  sword  play  that  he  would  have  my 
grandaunt  order  me  a  suit,  such  as  the  young 
Prince  wears,  that  I  might  appear  more  worthy 
of  his  steel.  My  father  was  my  teacher,  and  to 

53 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

what  better  purpose  could  I  put  my  skill  than 
in  rescuing  him  from  the  hands  of  a  merciless 
foe?  We  are  but  soldiers  of  fortune,  the 
women  as  well  as  the  men  of  our  race,  Colonel 
West,  and  it  behooves  us  to  be  well  acquainted 
with  weapons  of  defense." 

"  You  must  promise  me  that  you  will  not 
make  so  rash  a  venture,"  I  begged  as  we  stood 
up  to  bid  them  good-by.  "  All  that  can  be  done 
to  rescue  your  father  I  pledge  myself  to  do. 
You  will  give  it  me  as  a  trust?  " 

Her  eyes  sank  before  that  which  she  read  in 
my  earnest  gaze  and  her  cheeks  flamed  a  rich 
crimson.  Then  she  looked  up  and  said  seri 
ously  as  she  gave  me  her  hand :  "  It  shall  be 
your  trust,  Captain  Middleton.  And  I  know 
that  you  will  perform  it  with  a  faithfulness 
which  would  not  be  in  his  daughter's  power." 

There  was  that  within  the  glance  which  she 
gave  me  that  made  my  blood  to  bound  in  my 
veins  and  the  kiss  that  I  pressed  on  her  hand 
expressed  but  a  shadow  of  the  love  that  I  felt  in 
my  heart. 

"  I  like  not  that  sail  skulking  around  the 
coast  at  dawn  this  morning,"  I  said  to  West 
when  we  were  well  on  our  way  to  Charleston. 

"You  believe  it  was  truly  a  sail,  then?" 
West  cried,  turning  in  his  saddle  to  look  at 
me. 

54 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    YOUNG 

"  Not  when  my  own  eyes  saw  it,  for  they 
have  deceived  me  before;  but  Mistress  Hu- 
guenin  has  the  eyes  of  a  hawk.  She  saw  and 
could  describe  the  sail." 

He  laughed  and  struck  his  riding  boots  with 
his  crop.  It  was  his  custom  so  to  urge  on  his 
horse,  for  though  he  was  reputed  to  be  a  cruel 
man,  ruling  the  colony  and  the  Indians  by  un 
gentle  means,  Colonel  West  could  never  be 
persuaded  to  wear  spurs  nor  would  he  ever  lash 
the  beast  that  bore  him. 

"  Thou  Romeo !  "  he  cried.  "  Would  not  be 
lieve  your  own  eyes,  nor  those  of  your  kins 
man — who  is  not  an  old  man  though  he  may 
so  appear  to  young  striplings — but  when  thy 
Juliet — even  for  an  instant,  for  the  twinkling 
of  an  eye — doth  see  this  same  object,  lo !  there 
can  be  no  mistake.  She  hath  the  eyes  of  a 
hawk  ?  Rather  say  that  she  hath  the  eyes  of  a 
Dian  as  she  hath  the  beauty  of  Athene  and  the 
charm  of  Circe.  The  maid  hath  bewitched  you. 
Use  your  own  wit,  Jack.  No  ship  left  the  har 
bor  as  you  well  know.  None  was  expected  nor 
came  in.  England  is  at  peace  with  Spain  so 
we  have  naught  to  fear  from  the  bigot  that 
governs  at  Augustine.  The  buccaneers  or 
pirates — call  them  what  you  will — like  not  the 
coast  of  Carolina  since  Quarry  has  declared  his 
intention  to  carry  out  the  commands  of  the  pro- 

55 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

prietors  by  treating  them  as  criminals  amenable 
to  the  laws  of  England." 

"  Laugh  an  you  will,  cousin,"  I  cried,  ill 
pleased  at  his  jest  though  I  was  loath  to  show 
it.  "  It  was  just  the  ship  she  described,  for 
even  as  a  little  maid,  almost  a  baby,  I  never 
knew  her  to  tell  aught  that  she  had  not  seen, 
nor  see  aught  that  did  not  prove.  An  she 
said  she  saw  it,  it  was  there.  I  like  not  its 
skulking  around  this  coast." 

"  Zounds !  man,"  he  cried.  "  If  its  purpose 
be  not  honest  it  does  well  to  keep  out  the  har 
bor,  else  would  it  not  only  have  to  face  the  guns 
of  the  fort  but  those  of  the  two  king's  ships 
that  came  to  us  ten  days  ago,  and  still  lie  in 
front  of  the  city.  Their  guns  are  no  fowling 
pieces  loaded  for  small  game,  I  can  warrant 
you.  No  single  ship  would  dare  approach 
the  city  while  they  remain  so  near." 

*'  But  it  could  harry  our  coast,"  I  insisted. 
<;  There  are  plantations,  many  of  them  as  well 
stocked  with  slaves  as  with  less  expensive 
beasts.  If  it  should  be  a  Spaniard  they  would 
consider  themselves  well  paid. 

"  Art  turned  woman  from  very  lovesickness, 
boy?"  he  exclaimed  still  laughing.  "Take 
heart,  cousin ;  the  maid  will  be  well  cared  until 
your  return.  The  men  of  Charleston  will  see 

56 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNb 

to  that,  I  warrant.    Oh,  you  will  not  lack  rivals 
for  the  lady's  favor." 

Though  I  said  nothing  more,  for  I  liked  not 
his  raillery,  I  could  not  throw  off  thoughts  of 
that  skulking  sail  nor  the  fear  which  those 
thoughts  created.  A  hundred  times  and  more 
I  thought  of  Antoinette  and  wished  her  back  in 
Charleston,  safe  behind  the  guns  of  the  fort 
and  the  two  armed  ships  that  lay  at  anchor  in 
the  harbor.  Yet  I  had  no  thought  that  my 
fears  would  be  proved  before  the  setting  of 
that  sun  and  that  I  would  be  miles  away  and 
helpless. 


57 


ARRIVING  at  the  Governor's  house  I  re 
ceived  his  orders  and  took  command 
of  the  twenty  picked  men  who  were  to 
follow   me   in   pursuit   of   my   recent   captors. 
We  spent  our  first  night  within  the  barricades 
of    Master    Schinking's    estate    and    the    next 
morning  started  out  while  the  stars  were  still 
high  in  the  heavens.     Being  well  mounted  and 
the  country  dry,  we  had  brave  determination  of 
making  the  Isundiga  before  the  second  night. 

I  watched  the  stars  fade  away,  extinguished 
by  that  blackness  which  covers  the  sky  like  a 
pall  just  before  the  coming  of  the  day.  The 
sun  rose  and  riding  high  in  the  heavens  beat 
down  upon  us  with  an  intensity  that  made  the 
shade  of  the  forest  grateful  to  both  man  and 
beast.  We  pushed  forward  steadily  and  I  knew 
that  we  had  covered  more  than  half  the  dis 
tance  allotted  for  our  day's  journey  when  I 
told  my  men  that  at  the  next  stream  we  would 
halt  and  eat  what  small  provision  of  food  we 
carried  for  ourselves  and  our  horses.  There 
was  a  call  from  a  man  in  the  rear  and  looking 

58 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

back  I  followed  the  direction  of  his  gestures 
and  saw  the  dusky  form  of  an  Indian  break 
from  the  forest  and  come  across  the  open  space 
towards  us.  His  gait  was  that  of  a  man  who 
has  traveled  fast  for  many  hours  and  still 
pushes  on  though  limbs  and  brain  are  reeling. 
I  recognized  him  as  Acuera,  the  young  Coosaw 
chief  who  more  than  once  had  showed  himself 
true  to  the  white  settlers ;  so  I  turned  my  horse 
and  went  back  to  meet  him.  Coming  forward 
he  staggered  and  leaned  against  my  horse  bow 
ing  his  head  upon  my  knee  for  a  space,  for  he 
was  well  nigh  spent. 

"  Does  Acuera  bring  tidings  to  his  white 
brother?"  I  asked,  after  giving  him  a  short 
breathing  spell. 

He  drew  away  from  the  support  of  my  horse 
and  standing  proudly  erect  like  a  slender  statue 
in  bronze,  he  answered : 

"  Since  the  setting  of  the  moon,  Acuera,  has 
traveled  to  give  Captain  Middleton  warning 
against  the  man  who,  though  his  face  is  white, 
is  not  his  brother  and  who  lives  across  the  sea." 
He  pointed  towards  Florida.  I  remembered 
the  ship  and  my  heart  stopped  within  me. 
"  Yesterday,  Acuera  went  with  his  brothers  to 
the  weirs  of  the  Coosaws.  When  the  sun  went 
down  he  rested  with  his  people  and  looked  out 
upon  the  great  sea  across  which  the  white  men 

59 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

came  to  the  hunting  grounds  of  the  Indians. 
Two  long  boats  came  out  from  the  river  and 
their  bows  sank  deep  into  the  water,  for  they 
carried  many  besides  those  who  rowed." 

"  You  followed  them,  Acuera,"  I  cried,  well 
knowing  that  the  Spaniards  came  not  in  open 
boats.  "  You  saw  the  great  ship  ?  " 

"  Acuera  and  his  braves  are  like  the  fox,  and, 
like  him,  they  know  the  paths  of  the  forest 
and  the  streams.  We  traveled  across  the  point 
and  in  the  deep  water  of  the  bay  saw  the  great 
ship  into  which  the  boats  emptied  their  loads." 

"  Acuera  is  a  wise  chief  and  a  great  war 
rior,"  I  said.  "  He  knows  the  paths  of  the 
forests  and  the  settlements  of  the  white  man. 
Can  he  tell  me  from  which  of  his  white  brothers 
the  Spanish  thieves  took  the  slaves?  Did  Acu 
era  see  his  house  in  ashes  ?  " 

"  Acuera  had  no  time  to  look  for  ashes. 
There  was  no  need.  In  the  first  boat  he  looked 
and  saw  the  black  people  of  the  great  chief 
whom  you  seek  in  the  forest  and  of  the  young 
captain  who  saved  Acuera  from  the  stake  of  the 
Savannas  and  avenged  the  death  of  his  father, 
the  great  chief  of  his  nation.  Acuera  and  his 
people  do  not  forget." 

"  But  in  the  second  boat?  What  saw  you  in 
the  second  boat,  Acuera?"  I  demanded,  and 
I  knew  that  my  voice  trembled  despite  my  ef- 

60 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

forts  to  conceal  the  woman  in  my  nature  from 
the  men  who  pressed  around  us. 

"  The  daughter  of  the  great  chief  whom 
Captain  Middleton  left  on  the  banks  of  the 
Isundiga.  Acuera  saw  her  in  Charleston  the 
day  that  she  came  in  the  great  ship  from  the 
home  of  the  white  man  across  the  water.  She 
is  more  beautiful  than  the  stars  or  than  any 
flower  that  grows  in  the  forest." 

"  Was  she  alone,  Acuera  ?  Was  there  no 
other  woman  with  her?  "  cried  Jonathan  Blake, 
Mistress  Moreton's  young  brother.  He  was 
scarce  more  than  a  lad  and,  except  for  his 
pleadings  and  the  earnest  urgings  of  his  father, 
the  Governor  should  never  have  allowed  him 
to  come  with  me.  Now  his  voice  trembled  and 
he  stood  waiting  for  the  answer  of  the 
young  Indian  with  blanched  face  and  tearful 
eyes. 

"  The  sister  of  the  young  brave,  the  squaw 
of  the  white  chief  Moreton,  who  is  the  Coo- 
saw's  friend,  was  with  her,"  Acuera  answered, 
and  I  knew  that  he  felt  for  the  young  boy  who 
was  near  his  own  age  though  his  voice  and 
manner  of  speech  were  as  cold  and  impassive 
as  his  face.  Then  he  turned  directly  to  me 
and  said :  "  The  Coosaw  warriors  have  been 
slain  by  their  enemies  and  they  go  no  more  on 
the  war-path.  They  need  not  the  son  of  their 

61 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

great  chief  to  lead  them.  He  would  go  with 
the  white  Captain  on  the  war-path  against  the 
enemies  of  his  nation  and  to  bring  back  the 
white  maiden,  the  daughter  of  the  great  chief, 
the  friend  of  the  Coosaws." 

"  I  will  be  glad  to  have  Acuera  as  a  brother 
among  my  warriors  but  first  we  obey  the  Gov 
ernor's  orders  and  go  to  seek  the  great  chief 
or  to  avenge  his  death  in  the  forest,"  I  replied, 
though  God  knows  that  I  was  sorely  tempted 
to  give  up  that  quest  and  go  to  the  rescue  of 
the  two  women  who  had  been  snatched  as  it 
were  from  under  the  very  nose  of  the  Gover 
nor.  I  remembered  the  last  words  of  Mistress 
Huguenin  and  knew  that  I  would  not  have  to 
answer  to  the  Governor  alone  should  I  turn 
aside  from  my  mission. 

"  Captain  Middleton  is  wise  with  the  wis 
dom  of  the  white  man,  but  he  has  not  the  cun 
ning  of  the  Indian,"  the  young  chief  replied, 
with  stately  dignity.  "  The  Yemassee  dogs 
went  not  to  the  north  but  down  the  Isundiga 
to  the  great  sea." 

"  How  did  you  know  that,  Acuera?  "  I  de 
manded.  "  Four  days  ago  I  left  them  at  Hago 
Slago  bluff  on  the  Isundiga  river." 

"  The  singing  birds  of  the  forest  are  many 
and  they  tell  their  tales  to  the  Coosaw  brave 
whose  father  was  the  great  chief  of  his  na- 

62 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

tion,"  he  made  answer  after  the  manner  of  his 
people. 

"  Did  the  singing  birds  of  the  forest  tell 
Acuera  of  the  fate  of  the  white  chief  whom 
the  Yemassee  dogs  planned  to  torture  on  the 
bluff?"  I  asked. 

"  He  marched  to  the  sea  with  them,  more 
closely  bound  and  guarded;  for  the  Yemassee 
braves  found  their  two  brothers  whom  Captain 
Middleton  left  floating  in  the  water,  and  they 
feared  to  return  to  help  their  friends  on  the 
Spanish  ship  attack  the  city,"  he  replied,  with 
something  approaching  the  shadow  of  a  smile 
lighting  his  face  for  he  knew  that  he  was  giv 
ing  great  news. 

"  We  should  have  known  it  for  the  work  of 
those  devils  at  Augustine,  Captain  Middle- 
ton,"  cried  Master  Bernard  Schinking. 
"  When  was  it  that  an  Indian  nation  whose 
hunting  grounds  lie  so  far  away  has  attacked 
Charleston  or  any  other  white  settlement,  un 
less  urged  on  by  Spanish  or  French  villains. 
And  their  caravel,  you  see,  dared  not  approach 
the  city  because  of  the  two  king's  ships  that 
ride  at  anchor  in  the  harbor.  It  was  a  most 
villainous  plan  and  worthy  of  them.  I  war 
rant  you  they  like  not  returning  with  but  a 
handful  of  slaves,  having  sacked  only  two  plan 
tations." 

63 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

l 

"  Tell  me,  Acuera,"  I  asked.  "  Before  com 
ing  did  you  send  no  word  of  warning  to 
Charleston  of  the  capture  of  Colonel  Hu- 
guenin's  daughter  and  Mistress  Moreton?" 

He  gave  assent  by  a  motion  of  his  head. 
"  At  sunrise  I  entered  the  town  and  sought  out 
the  Governor  with  the  tidings.  He  summoned 
the  commander  and  ordered  every  man  to  his 
council.  I  lingered  not  when  I  found  that  you 
had  gone  on  the  trail  of  the  Yemassee,  but  be 
fore  I  left,  the  great  ships  were  being  made 
ready  and  the  people  said  they  would  sail  be 
fore  the  rising  of  another  moon.  I  have  run 
fast  and  long  for  Captain  Middleton  makes  not 
short  marches.  His  warriors  travel  on  four 
feet  while  I  have  but  two." 

"  You  have  served  me  many  times  and  well, 
Acuera,"  I  said,  when  he  had  given  his  tidings 
and  stood  proudly  before  me  with  his  arms 
folded.  "  But  this  last  service  is  the  best  of 
all  and  one  that  I  shall  never  forget.  We 
follow  the  trail  of  the  Yemassee.  If  it  lead  to 
the  land  of  the  Spaniard  then  will  we  seek 
the  maiden  also — though  I  warrant  that  we  find 
her  not  with  her  father.  Will  Acuera  go  with 
his  brother  on  the  war-path  against  the 
Yemassee  dogs,  the  enemies  of  his  nation?  " 

"  Captain  Middleton  is  my  friend/'  he  said, 
meeting  my  request  with  a  fine  gesture  of  as- 

64 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

sent;  "he  saved  Acuera  from  the  fire  death 
of  the  Savannas,  and  the  son  of  the  great  chief 
of  the  Coosaws  never  forgets.  He  will  go  with 
his  white  brother  on  the  trail  of  the  Yemassee 
dogs.  The  Coosaws  are  few  and  at  peace  with 
all  the  tribes  of  the  forest.  The  singing  birds 
are  many  and  the  tales  they  tell  are  true.  Cap 
tain  Middleton  will  find  the  great  white  chief  in 
the  land  of  his  enemy,  the  Spaniard,  where  the 
great  ship  carried  the  maiden  and  the  pale-faced 
squaw." 

If  my  anxiety  to  push  forward  had  been 
great  before  it  became  fourfold  now.  If  I  could 
I  would  have  marched  all  night,  until  my 
strength  failed  me,  but  Master  Bernard  Schink- 
ing  had  a  cool  brain  as  well  as  a  stout  heart. 

"  Though  because  of  the  tales  of  the  singing 
birds,  Captain  Middleton,  we  follow  no  more 
so  closely  the  trail,"  he  said  at  the  end  of  the 
first  day  when  I  was  giving  commands  for  our 
departure  hours  before  the  dawn  (though  we 
had  not  halted  until  the  moon  was  high  in 
the  heavens);  "there  is  no  need  of  changing 
the  length  nor  the  time  of  our  marches.  It  is  a 
great  distance  to  Augustine  and  while  our 
horses  are  hardy  and  well-bred  I  warrant  they 
will  drop  beneath  us  if  we  hasten  on  as  your 
heart  demands.  Use  your  head,  man,  and  all 
will  yet  be  well." 


WHEN    the    LAND    <was    TOUNG 

His  counsel  was  good  and  I  took  it  though  it 
went  mightily  against  the  grain  of  my  desires. 
The  end  was  bitter,  more  bitter  than  I  could 
have  wished  for  my  deadliest  enemy — I  had  not 
seen  him  then,  though  Antoinette's  wondrous 
beauty  made  me  know  that  he  lived;  yet,  had 
I  it  all  to  go  over  again,  I  would  still  be  as  im 
patient  for  I  would  think  not  of  the  bitter  but 
of  the  sweet  with  which  it  was  mingled — a 
sweetness  that  was  worth  all  life  to  taste,  a 
bitterness  that  was  hell. 


66 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 


THE   singing  birds   of  the   forest   were 
many,  indeed,  as  Acuera  said,  but  they 
told    always    the    same   tale:      "The 
white  chief  walked  in  the  midst  of  his  captors 
towards  the  land  of  the  Spaniard."     We  fol 
lowed  their  trail  as  fast  and  as  closely  as  our 
excursions  to  the  villages  of  Indians  friendly  to 
the  English,  made  necessary  by  lack  of  food  for 
ourselves  and  our  horses,  would  permit. 

Acuera  was  our  guide  and  verily,  during  that 
march  in  which  every  moment  of  delay  was 
torture  to  me,  so  great  was  my  desire  to  push 
on  beyond  the  power  of  my  men  and  the  beasts 
that  bore  us,  I  learned  his  worth.  More  than 
once  we  would  have  walked  into  ambush  or 
fallen  easy  victims  at  the  hands  of  hostile  In 
dians  had  he  not  received  warning  and  led  us 
aside.  He  often  left  us  without  a  word  or  sign 
of  warning.  Even  while  talking  to  him  I  would 
turn  to  find  him  gone,  like  a  shadow  hidden 
out  of  sight  among  the  trees  of  the  forests.  He 
would  reappear  as  suddenly  and  from  no  man 
knew  where.  On  the  march  I  would  find  him 

67 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

walking  at  my  side,  in  the  camp  I  would  awake 
to  find  him  sleeping  among  us,  and  even  the 
man  next  him  unconscious  of  his  presence. 

"  Captain  Middleton  will  lead  his  warriors 
to  the  great  village  of  the  Choctaw  mico,"  he 
said,  appearing  at  my  stirrup  one  morning  af 
ter  a  longer  absence  than  usual.  "'  Yesterday 
Acuera  traveled  in  the  country  of  the  Uchees 
and  at  nightfall  entered  the  village  of  their 
great  war-chief.  The  Uchee  warriors  have 
painted  themselves  black  and  sit  in  close 
council." 

"  The  village  of  the  Choctaw  mico  is  a  clay's 
journey  to  the  northward,  Acuera,"  I  said, 
chafing  at  the  mere  thought  of  delay.  "  We 
will  continue  our  march  on  the  trail  of  the 
Yemassee  and  meet  the  Uchee  \varriors  as  Eng 
lishmen  who  fear  not  their  arrows." 

"  The  English  are  brave  warriors  and  Cap 
tain  Middleton  is  the  great  war-chief  of  his 
nation,"  said  the  young  Indian.  "  He  is  wise 
and  will  not  lead  his  soldiers  into  ambush.  His 
braves  are  but  as  the  fingers  and  toes  of  Acu 
era,  while  the  Uchee  warriors  are  as  the  leaves 
of  the  greatest  tree  in  the  forest.  It  is  the  sac 
rifice  of  their  first-born  and  they  would  get 
captives  for  their  dance." 

Much  as  I  desired  to  push  forward  I  could 
not,  for  I  knew  it  would  be  a  folly  cruel  to  my 

68  ' 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

men  and  bootless  to  the  friends  that  we  sought. 
I  ordered  a  halt  and  after  short  council  we 
turned  aside  and  followed  Acuera  through  the 
hunting  grounds  of  the  Choctaw  nation  and 
to  the  great  village  of  their  mico. 

We  traveled  many  miles  that  day  over  a 
country  of  whose  beauty  I  had  heard  much, 
but  had  never  seen.  The  trees  of  the  forest  be 
came  more  lofty  and  were  set  so  far  apart  that 
we  found  no  difficulty  in  passing  through  them 
with  our  horses.  The  grass  was  greener  and 
more  luxuriant  and  everywhere  wild  fruit  grew 
most  luscious  and  abundant.  The  deer  seemed 
bigger  and  in  larger  herds  as  we  started  them 
from  their  cool  wadings  in  the  clear  streams  or 
came  upon  them,  feeding  upon  the  tender  grass 
of  some  shaded  dale.  The  forest  echoed  with 
the  songs  of  birds,  and  squirrels  innumerable 
ran  up  and  down  the  trunks  of  the  giant  oaks 
and  hickories  or,  saucily  chattering,  dropped 
around  us  shells  of  nuts  and  acorns  from  their 
perches  among  the  boughs.  The  "bob-white" 
of  the  male  partridge  sounded  on  all  sides,  while 
the  soft  whir-whir  of  the  female  warned  us  of 
her  presence  and  that  of  her  numerous  brood  of 
young  that  scuttled  through  the  grass  and  from 
under  our  horses'  feet  to  slip  among  the  drifts 
of  dead  leaves  which  the  soft  browns  of  their 
feathered  coats  so  closely  resembled.  We  came 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

upon  flocks  of  wild  turkeys  feeding  upon  the 
myriads  of  insects  that  infested  the  smaller 
plants  or  hopped  about  in  the  grass.  Although 
we  passed  so  near  that  we  might  easily  have 
cast  a  stone  among  them,  the  cocks  did  not 
leave  off  their  struttings  nor  the  hens  the  search 
of  food  for  their  young; — for  the  turkey  is  a 
wise  bird  and  knows  that  so  long  as  the  brood 
lacks  full  feather  it  remains  safe  from  all  snares 
and  death  at  human  hands. 

The  sun  was  rapidly  nearing  the  horizon 
when,  leaving  the  forest,  we  came  into  the  open 
country  of  the  Ostenaula  valley.  The  azure 
river  stretched  before  us,  gold  flecked  and 
crimsoned  by  the  slanting  sun  rays.  The  wide 
stretch  of  valley  was  softly  undulating  and 
carpeted  with  vivid  green.  A  mile  to  the  east 
and  on  the  banks  of  the  river  was  that  the  sight 
of  which  caused  us  to  draw  in  our  horses  and, 
with  suppressed  exclamations,  gaze  in  wonder. 
It  was  the  great  village  of  the  Choctaw  mico. 
Great  indeed  it  appeared  to  our  astonished  eyes 
accustomed  as  we  were  to  look  upon  Indian  vil 
lages  in  groups  of  from  but  ten  to  fifty  smoky 
huts.  This  mighty  village,  or  city  as  it  should 
more  properly  be  called,  was  divided  into  two 
distinct  sections.  The  inner  section  comprised 
an  area  of  some  hundred  or  more  acres, 
bounded  on  the  south  and  west  by  the  river  and 

70 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    YOUNG 

on  the  north  and  east  by  a  wide  ditch  or  moat 
which,  at  its  low  end,  communicated  directly 
with  the  river.  Along  the  line  of  this  great 
canal  were  three  small  ponds  of  about  two  acres 
each  and  its  upper  end  expanded  into  an  artifi 
cial  lake  of  considerable  size,  which  was  sepa 
rated  from  the  river  only  by  a  few  paces. 
Within  the  enclosure  formed  by  this  moat  rose 
five  great  mounds.  On  the  tops  of  the  four 
lowest  were  extensive  buildings  which  I  knew 
to  be  the  lodges  of  the  mico  and  his  principal 
men,  while  towering  up  and  dominating  them 
all,  on  the  top  of  the  greatest  mound,  rising 
some  hundred  feet  above  the  valley,  shone  the 
temple. 

At  first  my  dazzled  eyes  could  see  naught  else. 
More  than  a  hundred  paces  long  and  half  as 
wide,  with  a  tall  pointed  roof,  it  glittered  before 
us  like  a  thing  of  magic.  The  play  of  light  and 
color  under  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun  was  mar 
velous.  It  was  the  space  of  several  minutes  be 
fore  I  could  withdraw  my  eyes  and  listen  to  the 
words  of  Acuera. 

"  Lumulgee  leads  his  warriors  before  the 
mico  to  give  greeting  to  Captain  Middleton," 
he  said,  motioning  towards  the  western  extrem 
ity  of  the  village.  Following  his  hand  I  per 
ceived  a  band  of  painted  Indians  leaving  the 
district  within  the  moat  by  way  of  the  narrow 

71 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

path  that  separated  the  lake  from  the  river. 
They  passed  through  the  second  district  and 
came  out  of  the  stockade  by  means  of  what 
looked  to  be  a  small  postern  gate. 

"  The  great  war-chief  of  the  Choctaws  is 
the  wise  eagle  of  his  nation,"  continued  Acu- 
era.  "  He  comes  only  to  meet  those  whom  the 
mico  will  receive  as  his  brother.  They  would 
be  friends  with  the  English  and  to-morrow  will 
dance  the  calumet." 

"  I  tarry  not  for  their  entertainment,  Acu- 
era,"  I  replied  impatiently ;  for,  having  come  out 
of  the  great  wonder  that  the  sight  of  the  town 
had  occasioned  in  me,  I  remembered  with  no 
great  pleasure  the  festivities  which  this  mighty 
show  of  numbers  and  magnificence  promised. 
"  To-morrow's  dawn  must  find  us  on  our  march 
towards  Augustine." 

"  The  Choctaw  mico  is  the  ruler  of  a  mighty 
people.  Lumulgee  is  his  great  war-chief  and 
hath  all  the  wisdom  of  the  birds,  beasts  and 
serpents  of  the  forests.  He  loves  the  English 
well  and  will  not  let  them  go  alone  against  the 
Spanish  dogs  and  robbers,"  the  young  Indian 
made  reply  to  my  objection.  "  It  is  the  moon  of 
the  green  corn  and  to-morrow  the  Choctaws 
celebrate  the  festival.  If  Captain  Middleton 
will  look  in  the  michemichequipy  he  will  see 
all  the  tribes  of  the  great  nation,"  he  said,  mo- 

72 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

tioning  to  the  district  of  the  town  between  the 
moat  and  the  stockade  wall.  In  this  part  of  the 
village,  reserved  for  the  homes  of  the  common 
people,  there  appeared  upwards  of  a  thousand 
wigwams,  and  I  could  see  that  the  place  was 
thronged  by  men  and  women  busily  preparing 
for  some  great  event. 

"  Zounds  !  Captain  Middleton,"  cried  Master 
Schinking.  "If  they  celebrate  the  new  corn 
festival  to-morrowr  we  do  well  to  remain.  I 
once  passed  such  a  feast  among  the  Savannas 
and  ever  since  the  mere  thought  of  it,  has  made 
my  mouth  to  water  for  the  good  things  we  had 
to  eat.  Look  you !  there  is  plenty  and  to  spare," 
and  he  motioned  to  the  well  cultivated  town 
plantations  which  covered  the  valley  as  far  as 
the  eye  could  reach — "  even  for  so  great  a  vil 
lage  as  the  one  before  us.  I  have  heard  much 
of  the  friendliness  of  Lumulgee  for  the  Eng 
lish;  I  have  heard,  too,  of  this  great  town,  the 
descriptions  of  which,  God  forgive  me,  I  laid 
against  the  natural  gift  for  lying  that  even  the 
best  of  these  red  heathens  have.  We  stand  in 
need  of  both  rest  and  food.  Captain,  and  since 
Lumulgee  can  give  us  both,  I  say,  we  will  do 
well  to  tarry." 

It  needed  but  a  glance  into  the  faces  of  the 
men  who  followed  me  to  make  me  know  their 
feelings.  I  had  no  need  to  take  council.  Call- 

73 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

ing  to  Acuera,  who  had  gone  some  fifty  paces 
ahead,  I  said: 

"  We  will  go  forward  to  meet  the  Choctaw 
warriors,  Acuera,  and  if  they  bring  friendly 
messages  we  will  follow  them  into  the  great 
city  to  receive  the  greetings  of  their  mico." 

"  Captain  Middleton  will  not  need  to  enter 
the  great  village  to  greet  the  mico.  He  and  his 
picked  men  will  greet  their  English  brothers  at 
the  gate.  Even  now  they  leave  the  mound  of 
the  miculgeeintoopau,"  he  replied,  pointing  to 
wards  the  great  mound,  second  in  size,  on  the 
top  of  which  I  knew  was  situated  the  mice's 
lodge,  and  from  which  we  could  even  then 
see  issuing  a  procession  more  numerous  and 
gaily  dressed  than  that  which,  having  left  the 
city  on  our  first  appearance,  was  now  approach 
ing  us  at  no  great  distance. 

"  And  those  other  mounds,  Acuera,"  cried 
young  Jonathan  Blake,  carried  away  by  the 
splendid  sight  that  the  great  village  made,  sur 
rounded  as  it  was  by  the  blue  river  and  set  in 
the  midst  of  the  soft  green  foliage,  under  the 
golden  rays  of  the  setting  sun,  "  how  call  you 
the  great  houses  that  sit  on  their  tops?  " 

The  flicker  of  a  smile  passed  over  the  face  of 
the  young  brave  at  the  boy's  eagerness. 

"  The  miculgeeintoopau  faces  the  east  that 
the  mico  may  be  the  first  to  greet  the  great  sun 

74 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

god.  On  the  third  mound  is  the  tustunnugul- 
geeintoopau,  the  lodge  of  the  great  war-chief 
and  his  warriors.  Its  doors  are  turned  north, 
and  they  watch  for  the  coming  of  the  cold  wind 
clouds.  The  istechaguculgeeintoopau  is  on  the 
fourth  mound  and  looks  west  that  the  beloved 
men  may  salute  the  sun  as  he  leaves  the  hunting 
grounds  of  the  Choctaws  and  pray  for  his  safe 
return.  On  the  lowest  mound  is  the  hutteman- 
huggeeintoopau  and  its  doors  turn  south  that 
the  rays  of  the  sun  may  shine  on  the  old  and  the 
poor  of  the  village  when  the  cold  breath  of  the 
storm  cloud  comes  down  from  the  north  into 
the  land  of  the  Choctaws." 

"  Tell  us  about  the  temple,  Acuera,"  said 
Master  Schinking.  "  I  have  heard  from  In 
dian  traders  that  it  contained  bushels  of  pearls 
and  skins  so  finely  dressed  and  rare  that  their 
like  was  no  longer  to  be  had  on  this  continent. 
It  is,  in  verity,  a  most  surprising  structure,  and 
though  I  have  heard  that  its  brilliance  was 
caused  by  numberless  polished  shells  woven 
into  the  roof,  one  could  almost  believe  it 
thatched  with  plates  of  gold  and  silver,  studded 
with  rarest  gems." 

"  Does  it  contain  only  the  bones  of  the  micos, 
Acuera?"  I  asked,  for  it  was  of  such  a  great 
size  that  I  could  scarcely  credit  that  report. 

"  The  bones  of  an  hundred  micos  with  their 

75 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

great  war-chiefs,"  he  replied.  "  Twice  Acuera 
came  with  his  father,  the  mighty  chief  of  the 
Coosaws,  to  drink  acee,  the  black-drink,  and  to 
sit  in  close  council  with  the  great  war-chief." 
Then  throwing  up  his  arms  with  a  gesture  of 
warning  which  caused  me  to  check  my  horse, 
he  asked ;  "  Will  Captain  Middleton  make 
ready  to  greet  Lumulgee?  The  great  war- 
chief  and  his  warriors  are  but  the  distance  of  an 
arrow's  flight." 

Commanding  my  men  to  fall  back  a  few 
paces  I  dismounted,  and  with  Master  Schink- 
ing  and  Jonathan  Blake  and  the  young  Coosaw 
chief,  I  stood  waiting  to  receive  as  messenger 
from  the  Choctaw  mico,  Lumulgee,  the  most 
powerful  and,  I  had  heard  it  said  by  men  well 
acquainted  with  savages  and  their  cunning,  the 
most  treacherous  Indian  on  the  continent. 

Our  horses  still,  we  heard  the  soft  velvety 
footfall  of  many  moccasin-shod  feet  on  the 
turf.  A  moment  we  listened ;  then,  from  out  the 
shadow  of  a  group  of  mulberry  and  plum  trees, 
stepped  Lumulgee,  the  great  war-chief  of  the 
Choctaws — his  warriors  following  at  his  back, 
one  by  one. 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 


THE  Indian  who  thus  faced  me  was  beau 
tiful  to  look  upon.  Head  and  shoul 
ders  he  towered  above  his  fellows  and 
his  figure  was  of  such  a  perfect  symmetry  as 
to  pass  description.  Painted  a  brilliant  red  to 
the  waist,  with  bands  of  white  across  his  breast 
and  a  dash  of  white  on  each  cheek,  he  wore 
neither  clothes  nor  ornaments  save  his  breech- 
clout  and  two  eagle  feathers  thrust  through  his 
scalp-lock.  He  came  to  meet  us  empty  handed; 
even  his  hunting  knife  was  laid  aside.  His 
warriors,  likewise,  carried  no  weapons,  but 
around  their  waists  they  wore  feather  fringes, 
red  and  white,  so  long  that  they  met  the  tops 
of  their  gaily  beaded  moccasins.  This  recep 
tion,  I  knew  was  not  such  as  they  extended  to 
friendly  nations  but  we  were  welcomed  as 
dearly  loved  brothers  whose  prowess  and  rank 
entitled  us  to  be  honored  and  trusted  by  the 
whole  nation. 

The  great  war-chief  of  the  Choctaws  stood 
before  me,  the  Indian  whose  prowess  on  the 
warpath  and  wily  cunning  in  the  council  made 

77 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

him  both  feared  and  respected  by  the  white  men 
of  the  settlements  and  his  red  brothers  of  the 
forests.  He  lacked  the  high  cheek  bones  that 
I  had  learned  to  look  upon  as  an  unfailing 
characteristic  of  his  race,  but  instead  his  face 
was  of  that  oval  contour  so  often  seen  in  the 
best  type  of  Europeans.  His  expression  was 
exceeding  pleasant,  I  might  almost  say  open 
and  bland.  But  there  lay  that  within  his  eyes 
that  made  me  know  him  as  the  savage.  There 
was  no  watchful  glitter,  no  cunning  half  light. 
His  eyes  were  as  dark  and  fathomless  as  a  still 
pool  at  nightfall.  They  were  a  velvety  black 
and  of  a  softness  that  allured  while  it  baffled. 
For  a  moment  he  and  his  warriors  stood  mo 
tionless,  then,  greeting  us  after  the  stately 
manner  of  his  race,  Lumulgee  came  forward 
and  clasped  my  hand. 

He  made  his  speech  of  welcome,  and  deliv 
ered  the  mice's  message  inviting  me  and  my 
people  to  the  great  village  of  his  nation  to  dwell 
among  them  and  partake  of  the  feast  of  the 
new  corn.  The  words  of  his  speech  were  both 
eloquent  and  dignified,  and  he  delivered  it  with 
a  stately  grace  that  was  most  admirable. 

Walking  at  my  stirrup,  with  Acuera  on  his 
left,  he  conducted  us  toward  the  village 
through  the  numerous  plots  of  the  town  plan 
tations  with  their  growing  crops  of  maize,  to 

78 


WHEN    the    LAND    -was    TOUNG 

bacco  and  eatable  roots.  When  we  came  in 
sight  of  the  gate  of  the  barricade  by  way  of 
which  we  had  seen  them  leave  the  town,  it 
opened  and  there  issued  forth  a  numerous  band 
of  gaudily  painted  Indians,  both  men  and 
women.  Obeying  the  signal  of  the  Indian  who 
walked  at  my  side  I  motioned  my  men  to  halt 
just  as  the  company  at  the  gate  separated 
and  there  appeared,  borne  by  six  young  war 
riors,  a  litter  on  which  sat  the  mico  of  the 
Choctaws.  Well  through  the  gate,  on  the 
smooth  turfen  top  of  a  terrace,  some  four  feet 
in  height,  the  bearers  place3  the  litter  and,  thus 
seated  the  savage  ruler  remained  until  I,  dis 
mounting  with  Master  Schinking,  Jonathan 
Blake  and  Acuera,  approached  within  a  few 
paces  of  him. 

When  he  arose  to  welcome  us  his  bearers 
made  deep  obeisance  and  fell  back  among  the 
people  who  had  followed  his  litter.  The  mico 
looked  a  man  in  the  prime  of  life,  tall  and  ele 
gantly  proportioned.  Both  in  his  face  and 
figure  he  showed  strikingly  the  characteristics 
of  his  race.  As  he  delivered  his  long  speech  of 
welcome  Lumulgee  stood  at  his  side  and  there 
appeared  not  a  half  dozen  years  between  them, 
though  I  knew  that  men  said  the  great  war- 
chief  had  already  outlived  two  micos  and  that 
this  ruler  was  but  a  stripling  in  comparison. 

79 


The  mice's  tattooed  breast  was  crossed  by  bars 
of  red  and  white  paint.  Strings  of  pearls  as 
large  as  the  end  of  a  man's  thumb  and  glisten 
ing  white  encircled  his  neck  and  fell  even  to 
his  belt.  Over  his  shoulder  was  flung  a  mantle 
of  woven  nettles,  extending  to  his  feet;  it  had 
the  sheen  of  finest  satin  and  the  color  of  purest 
gold.  The  feathers  in  his  scalp-lock  were  red 
and  white  and  his  moccasins  and  the  long  fringe 
that  fell  from  his  waist  were  ornamented  by 
tassels  made  of  the  long  hairs  taken  from  deer's 
tails  and  dyed  red.  He  had  no  weapons,  nor 
did  any  of  those  who  followed  him;  but  there 
lay  at  his  feet  the  peace-pipe,  and  when  I  had 
made  reply  to  his  welcome,  certain  of  his  war 
riors  stepped  forward  and  laid  on  the  blanket  of 
buffalo  wool  on  which  he  stood  the  usual  pres 
ents  of  pearls,  tobacco,  maize  and  venison. 

This  ended  the  ceremony  of  welcoming  us 
and  the  mico  once  more  seated  himself  on  his 
litter,  inviting  me  to  take  my  seat  beside  him. 
Thus  seated  we  were  borne  into  the  great  vil 
lage  and  up  the  terraced  way  to  the  top  of  the 
great  mound  of  the  miculgeeintoopau.  I  found 
that  lodgment  for  myself,  Master  Schinking, 
and  Jonathan  Blake  had  been  made  ready  in  the 
left  wing  of  this  wigwam — which  when  com 
pared  to  all  Indian  dwellings  that  I  had  pre- 

80 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    YOUNG 

viously  seen  was  great  indeed.  My  men  were 
bestowed  in  a  division  of  the  tustunnugulgeein- 
toopau  and  Acuera  went  with  them. 

I  had  gladly  spent  days  and  nights,  whole 
weeks  in  Indian  villages  during  the  early  days 
of  my  arrival  in  America,  but  this  visit,  this 
coming  in  the  midst  of  a  great  people  so  far  re 
moved  from  our  settlement  that  we  krfew  of 
them  only  from  the  reports  of  others,  was 
neither  to  my  liking  nor  my  choosing.  And 
yet,  that  all  would  go  well  with  us,  thrusting 
ourselves  as  it  were  into  the  very  midst  of  this 
horde  of  heathens,  I  believed.  That,  after  our 
second  night  spent  amongst  them,  their  ruler, 
true  to  the  promise  given  without  his  gates  and 
repeated  as  we  smoked  the  peace-pipe  before 
his  lodge  while  wre  watched  his  warriors  dance 
the  calumet,  would  speed  us  on  our  way  to  Au 
gustine,  our  force  augmented  by  two  hundred 
of  his  warriors,  picked  men  all  of  them,  under 
the  leadership  of  his  great  war-chief,  I  also  be 
lieved.  For  I  knew  that  above  all  things  Lu- 
mulgee  hated  and  feared  the  man  who  ruled  at 
Augustine;  hated  him,  because  at  his  hands  he 
had  met  his  most  disastrous  defeat ;  feared  him, 
for  the  sake  of  the  temple  of  the  Choctaws  and 
the  treasure  it  guarded. 

It  was  to  gain  possession  of  this  vast  treasure 

81 


WHEN    the    LAND    'was    TOUNG 

that  D'Alva,  soon  after  his  arrival  as  Governor 
of  the  Spanish  stronghold  on  the  continent  of 
America,  had  invaded  the  Choctaw  country 
with  a  great  army  at  his  back.  Lumulgee 
knowing  of  his  object  had  met  him  on  the  bor 
ders  with  a  band  of  warriors,  which  for  num 
bers  and  prowess  the  like  had  never  been  seen. 
Unacquainted  with  the  use  of  fire  arms  the  In 
dian  chief  met  his  Spanish  enemies  in  open 
battle  and  was  disastrously  defeated.  More 
than  half  of  his  warriors  were  left  dead  on  the 
field  and  he  himself  and  fifty  more,  being 
wounded,  were  taken  prisoners.  Though 
wounded,  this  savage  leader  had  accomplished 
by  craftiness  that  in  which  he  had  failed  by 
force  of  arms.  By  means  known  only  to  him 
self  he  gained  such  control  of  the  Indians  em 
ployed  by  the  Spaniard  to  guide  him  to  the 
great  village  that  they  led  the  army  by  such 
routes  as  to  cause  them  to  wander  back  and 
forth  over  a  vast  country  without  once  gaining 
sight  of  the  village  and  its  wonderful  temple. 
One  by  one  the  Spanish  commander  punished 
these  false  guides  by  death  under  the  most  hide 
ous  tortures,  but  without  gaining  the  desired 
result.  At  last,  wrorn  out  by  privations  and 
hardships  he  returned  to  Augustine,  his  army 
greatly  reduced,  and  without  other  gains  than 
the  fifty  Choctaw  prisoners.  Of  these  captives 

82 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

Lumulgee  alone  managed  to  escape.  The 
others  were  sent  south  and  sold  as  slaves  in  the 
Indies. 

This  happened  ten  years  back  but  the  great 
war-chief,  the  wise  eagle  of  the  Choctaws,  had 
never  attacked  Augustine;  he  had  made  no 
effort  to  avenge  the  cruelties  inflicted  upon  him 
self  nor  the  captivity  of  his  braves.  Few  had 
been  the  war-paths  on  which  he  had  led  his 
warriors.  Instead,  by  honeyed  words  and  cun 
ning  councils,  he  had  held  the  Choctaws  at 
peace  with  all  the  tribes  of  the  forests.  It  was 
a  long  peace  in  which  his  people  prospered  and 
for  every  warrior  lost  during  that  Spanish  raid 
there  were  now  two  to  take  his  place.  Though 
the  Choctaws  marched  out  on  the  war-path  their 
prowess  in  the  hunt  and  the  many  warlike  games 
which  they  practiced  made  them  feared,  and  the 
man  who  controlled  them  received  his  full  share 
of  respect.  The  public  storehouses  were  many 
and  large;  they  contained  abundant  supplies  of 
maize,  tobacco,  roots,  nuts,  smoked  meats  and 
fish  and  dried  fruits.  The  plantations  and  or 
chards  were  broad  and  well  cultivated;  the 
weirs  were  stocked  with  fish  and  the  city 
was  strongly  fortified.  All  this  I  could  see  and 
with  it  I  realized  the  steadfast  cunning  of  the 
Choctaw  war-chief.  I  understood  his  great 
love  for  the  English  and  why  his  mico,  who, 

83 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

men  said,  was  but  an  infant  in  his  hands,  was 
prompted  to  send  two  hundred  of  his  picked 
warriors  against  the  Spaniards  at  Augustine. 
I  understood  it  all  and  laughed  to  myself  as  I 
retired  to  the  wigwam  assigned  me  to  get  what 
sleep  I  could  in  the  few  hours  of  the  night  that 
remained  after  our  feastings  with  the  mico.  The 
great  eagle  of  the  Choctaws,  I  knew,  did  not 
forget,  and  terrible  indeed  was  the  vengeance 
he  planned  when  he  with  his  white  brothers 
should  swoop  down  upon  his  unsuspecting 
enemies.  I  doubt  me  if  the  joy  in  his  savage 
breast  surpassed  the  fear  in  mine,  when  I 
thought  of  Antoinette  in  their  power  and  the 
dangers  to  which  she  was  exposed. 

My  sleep  was  fitful;  not  from  any  fear  of 
treachery,  but  from  very  longing  to  have  the 
next  day  over  and  to  be  again  on  the  march.  I 
arose  at  last  and  seeing  it  was  good  dawn 
awoke  Master  Schinking  and  Jonathan  Blake, 
who  still  snored  from  the  effects  of  the  last 
night's  feastings.  Going  to  the  door  I  pulled 
aside  the  mat  and  stepped  out.  A  mighty  howl 
split  the  air  and  turning  in  the  direction  from 
whence  the  sound  came  I  saw  the  mico  before 
the  door  of  his  lodge  making  his  morning  salu 
tation  to  the  sun,  then  but  just  rising  from  its 
banks  of  purple  clouds  in  the  east.  Three  times 
he  repeated  the  ear-splitting  cry,  facing  the  east 

84 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

and  bending  his  body  prostrate  to  the  earth. 
This  ended,  the  high  priest  presented  to  him  a 
gorgeously  ornamented  calumet,  the  first  smoke 
of  which  he  blew  towards  the  god  of  day;  then, 
turning,  he  puffed  it  in  succession  towards  the 
other  three  cardinal  points. 

"  The  mighty  ruler  of  the  Choctaws  goes  to 
the  great  temple  to  pray  for  the  success  of  his 
white  brother.  Will  Captain  Middleton  go 
with  him?  "  It  was  Lumulgee  standing  at  my 
side,  and  I  had  thought  myself  alone. 

I  have  lived  a  sober  life  and  keep  steady 
nerves.  The  face  I  turned  to  him  was  as  smil 
ing  and  unmoved  as  his  own. 

"  I  would  see  the  great  temple,  Lumulgee," 
I  answered,  "  though  I  pray  not  to  your  god 
but  to  the  Great  Ruler  over  all  who  made  the 
world  and  the  people  who  inhabit  it,  both  white 
men  and  Indians." 

"  Lumulgee  has  heard  much  of  the  god  to 
whom  the  white  men  pray  and  would  learn 
more  from  the  great  captain  as  they  march  to 
gether  to  the  land  of  the  Spaniard,"  he  replied 
as  we  followed  the  terraced  walk  stretching  up 
ward  to  the  temple  and  along  which  mico  and 
priest  had  passed  before  us. 

Fair  and  beautiful  it  shone,  touched  by  the 
ever  brightening  sun  rays,  this  tomb  of  a  hun 
dred  savage  emperors  with  their  chief  counsel- 

85 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

lors.  The  roof  was  woven  thick  with  polished 
shells — conch  and  periwinkles,  great  and 
small — I  noted  every  shell  I  had  ever  seen  on 
the  seashore  and  many  more  besides.  From 
the  tall  pointed  roof  to  the  eaves,  from  the  eaves 
sweeping  the  green  grass  of  the  turf,  extended 
countless  strings  of  glistening  shells.  The 
play  of  light  upon  them  was  as  a  brilliant  rain 
bow — like  the  drippings  of  a  summer  shower 
with  the  sun  shining  through.  Lifting  the 
half  dozen  mats  that  hung  one  after  the  other 
across  the  narrow  winding  entrance  we  came  at 
length  to  the  first  chamber. 

I  stopped  spellbound.  Two  lines  of  gigantic 
statues  in  threatening  attitudes  confronted  us. 
There  were  twelve,  six  on  each  side,  and  so  per 
fect  was  their  expression  and  so  lifelike  their 
pose  that  they  appeared  as  though  forbidding 
our  entrance  to  the  great  inner  room  which  they 
guarded.  Each  pair  of  these  monsters  was 
armed  with  a  different  kind  of  weapon  and 
stood  in  position  to  use  it.  The  first  raised  in 
both  hands  great  wooden  clubs,  ornamented  a 
quarter  of  their  length  with  points  and  facets 
of  polished  copper ;  the  second  brandished  broad 
swords  of  wood;  the  third  wielded  wooden 
poles  eight  feet  long  and  pointed  with  copper. 
The  next  two  had  tomahawks  with  blades  of 
sharpened  flint ;  the  fifth  held  bows  and  arrows, 

86 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

the  strings  drawn  ready  to  shoot;   while  the 
last  pair  grasped  their  hunting  knives. 

We  passed  the  file  of  these  monsters,  then 
Lumulgee  lifted  a  mat  of  unusual  heaviness, 
and  we  entered  the  great  room  of  the  temple. 
In  the  subdued  light  the  air  seemed  filled  with 
floating  feathers  and  pearls,  bright  colored  and 
glistening  white.  The  high  dome  was  cov 
ered  by  rows  and  rows  of  glittering  shells,  and 
from  them  fell  long  strands  of  pearls,  inter 
spersed  by  clusters  of  gorgeous  feathers,  the 
whole  strung  on  fine  dull-colored  thread,  so  that 
they  appeared  to  hover  unsupported  in  the  air. 
It  was  most  beautiful.  Looking  about  me  I 
saw  that  around  the  walls  ran  two  rows  of 
statues,  men  and  women  of  life  size,  and  each 
standing  on  its  own  pedestal.  The  men  were 
painted  and  fully  armed  for  war,  but  the  women 
stood  empty-handed.  They  all  were  orna 
mented  with  numerous  strings  of  pearls  and 
bits  of  copper,  and  wore  mantles  of  dressed 
skins  or  of  woven  feathers  or  nettles.  In  the 
space  between  the  statues  and  the  walls,  on 
mats  of  finely  woven  cane  or  rare  skins  and  at 
regular  intervals,  were  placed  the  burial  chests. 
The  larger  ones  I  knew  to  be  those  of  the  micos 
with  their  equipments  of  war,  while  the  smaller, 
each  one  placed  always  at  the  foot  and  at  right 
angles  with  the  larger,  contained  the  bones  of 

87 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

his  war-chief.  Each  mico  had  his  war-chief, 
often  two,  sometimes  three,  piled  one  upon 
the  other.  But  at  the  end  were  two  great  chests 
without  a  lesser,  and  I  knew  that  between  them 
the  bleached  bones  of  the  man  who  stood  beside 
me  would  be  placed  some  day — yea,  some  day — 
but  no  man  could  foretell  how  many  days  or 
years  would  pass.  Perhaps  another  great  chest 
would  be  added  to  that  vast  number  before  the 
placing  of  that  lesser.  I  bethought  me  of  the 
story  which  I  had  got  from  Acuera,  how  the 
war-chiefs  of  the  Choctaws  had  always  been 
sacrificed  at  the  death  of  their  masters,  until  the 
coining  of  Lumulgee  from  across  the  great  sea 
in  the  south. 

".Will  Captain  Middleton  look  at  the  pearls?" 
Lumulgee  asked,  and  at  his  question,  I  left  off 
thinking  of  the  mystery  and  power  of  this 
wonderful  people. 

He  lifted  the  cover  to  one  of  the  lower  bas 
kets  which,  placed  one  on  the  top  of  another, 
formed  a  great  pyramid  in  the  center  of  the 
room.  It  was  filled  to  the  top  with  pearls,  un- 
pierced  and  perfect. 

"  Are  they  all  filled  with  pearls,  Lumulgee?  " 
I  cried,  indicating  the  pyramid. 

"  All  and  there  are  more  in  there,"  he  an 
swered,  pointing  to  the  eight  rooms  that  opened 
into  this  greater  one.  "  If  the  white  chief  wishes 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

still  more  he  will  find  them  in  the  temples  of  the 
other  villages  of  the  Choctaws." 

"  I  came  not  into  your  country  for  pearls, 
Lumulgee,"  I  answered,  "  but  for  food  for  my 
men  and  beasts  and  to  smoke  the  peace-pipe." 

"  There  are  enough  and  to  spare,"  he  an 
swered.  "  If  you  were  to  load  all  your  beasts 
and  men  they  would  not  be  missed.  What  is 
the  Choctaws'  is  also  their  brothers." 

I  shook  my  head,  though  I  continued  to  look 
in  wonder  at  the  contents  of  the  baskets  which 
he  opened.  I  saw  that  all  of  these  pearls  were 
sorted  most  carefully  according  to  their  size. 
The  smallest  were  seed  pearls,  while  the  largest 
rivalled  in  size  and  whiteness  those  worn  by 
the  mico. 

"  Will  Captain  Middleton  not  take  some  to 
the  pale  face  maiden  whom  he  seeks  in  the  land 
of  the  Spanish  robber?"  the  war-chief  asked, 
extending  to  me  a  handful  of  great  size  and  ex 
ceeding  whiteness.  "  To  the  singing  birds  of 
the  forest  she  is  fairer  than  the  lily  and  more 
beautiful  than  the  dawn." 

"  She  is  more  beautiful  than  the  singing 
birds  can  describe,  Lumulgee,"  I  replied,  choos 
ing  some  two  dozen  of  the  fairest,  for  I  was 
touched  by  the  manner  and  the  choosing  of  the 
gift.  "  She  will  give  you  her  own  thanks  when 
you  see  her  in  Augustine." 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

"  Lumulgee  will  see  many  things  in  Augus 
tine,"  was  his  answer  as  he  led  the  way  into  one 
of  the  lesser  rooms.  "  Many  strange  and  won 
derful  things,"  he  repeated. 

He  pointed  out  to  me  many  beautiful  skins 
finely  dressed,  that  neither  he  nor  I  could  guess 
the  manner  of  beast  from  which  they  had  been 
torn  nor  from  whence  they  came.  There  were 
many  curious  and  beautiful  weapons,  but  al 
though  I  am  rated  a  man  of  war  who  loves  not 
peace,  I  could  feel  no  interest  in  them.  The 
charm  was  broken.  Once  again  I  began  to 
chafe  at  the  delay  and  could  only  think  of  An 
toinette  and  the  dangers  that  surrounded  her. 
He  would  have  taken  me  to  other  rooms  and 
showed  me  things  still  more  beautiful  and  rare, 
but  I  turned  away  and  bade  him  lead  me  from 
the  temple  to  the  lodge  of  his  mico. 

I  have  passed  other  long  days — days  in  which 
every  minute  seemed  a  hundred  years — but  I 
remember  not  to  have  lived  through  one  with 
more  impatience  than  this  one  in  the  Choctaw 
capital.  Cursing  in  my  heart  I  watched  the 
young  warriors  through  their  game  of  chunke, 
wherein  they  throw  the  polished  stone,  casting 
their  slender  poles  after  it,  and  then  follow  so 
swiftly  that  man,  stone  and  pole  seemed  flying 
together.  At  another  time  I  would  have  ad 
mired  their  skill  and  fleetness,  and  the  smooth 

90 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

pounded  floors  of  their  chunke-yards.  But  on 
this  day  there  was  but  one  thought,  one  desire 
in  my  heart.  Still  I  must  sit  and  hold  both  my 
countenance  and  my  tongue  as  became  the  dig 
nity  of  my  entertainers.  I  watched  the  maidens 
in  their  gentle  glides  and  furious  whirlings  of 
the  pinegunbeau  while  the  possau  brewed.  I 
drank  that  possau  and  was  purged  of  the  evil 
that  lay  in  my  stomach  if  not  that  which  pos 
sessed  my  soul.  Then  succeeded  more  feasting 
and  more  dancing,  followed  by  the  song  com 
posed  for  that  especial  occasion, — for  the  Choc- 
taws  are  a  gifted  people  and  proud  of  their 
songs,  both  the  music  and  the  words.  Then 
came  more  feasting,  then  the  war-dance,  in 
which  I  could  have  joined  right  willingly,  and  I 
doubt  not  rivalled  the  fiercest  warrior  in  his 
hellish  noise  and  actions.  But  even  the  longest 
days  must  end,  and  so  at  last  I  found  myself  in 
my  lodge  and  tried  to  sleep  through  the  few 
remaining  hours  of  my  tarrying. 

It  was  early  dawn  when  white  men  and  In 
dians  of  the  war  band  drew  up  on  the  little 
plain  before  the  gate  of  the  city  to  receive  the 
last  war-rite  of  the  mico.  The  whole  popula 
tion  was  out  and  brilliant  in  war-paint.  The 
ruler  stood  on  the  little  terrace.  The  war- 
chief  with  his  warriors  at  his  back  faced  him. 
The  high  priest  held  a  shallow  dish  of  water 

91 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

into  which  the  savage  emperor  dipped  his  hand 
and  flung  the  drops  among  his  warriors. 

"  As  I  scatter  this  water  so  scatter  you  those 
who  come  against  you,"  he  said;  then  he  took 
the  dish,  dashed  the  contents  on  a  small  fire  that 
burned  near,  and  turning  back  to  his  braves, 
said :  "  As  I  extinguish  this  fire  so  destroy  you 
all  of  your  enemies." 

This  ended  we  marched  away  into  a  land  that 
at  every  mile  became  more  strange  and  beauti 
ful.  Two  days  we  traveled  and  at  nightfall  on 
the  second  day  there  walked  into  camp  an  In 
dian  whose  face  I  had  never  seen,  and  I  knew 
that  he  bore  grave  tidings  though  he  neither 
asked  for  nor  sought  the  war-chief,  but  sat 
down  by  the  camp-fire  among  the  Choctaw 
warriors  whom  he  appeared  neither  to  see  nor 
hear  until  Lumulgee  sent  and  bade  him  come 
to  him.  Their  talk  was  long  and  when  it  was 
finished  the  war-chief  came  to  me. 

"  Captain  Middleton  will  not  meet  his  broth 
ers  at  Augustine,"  he  told  me.  "  The  great 
ships  with  all  on  them  sailed  to  the  northward." 

"Sailed  north,  Lumulgee!"  I  exclaimed, 
staring  at  him. 

"  As  they  left  the  harbor  there  came  in  an 
other  great  ship,  which  turned  them  back,"  he 
explained.  "  The  next  day  they  all  put  out  to 
gether,  sailing  northward.  Your  brothers 

92 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    YOUNG 

across  the  sea  go  on  the  war-path  against  an 
other  nation,  and  the  great  father  of  the  Eng 
lish  sends  his  war-tidings  to  his  warriors  in 
America." 

"  So  James  makes  war  on  the  Dutch,"  I  rea 
soned  to  myself.  Then  I  asked  aloud,  "  The 
Governor,  Lumulgee?  Did  he  send  no  soldiers 
to  rescue  the  two  women  whom  the  Spaniard 
stole  from  under  his  very  walls  ?  " 

"  They  come  through  the  forest,"  he  replied, 
motioning  north-east,  "  many  marches  away 
and  few  in  numbers.  The  Spanish  robber 
plans  to  send  the  maiden  and  the  pale  face 
squaw  to  the  south.  His  ship  waits  in  the  har 
bor." 

Grave  indeed  were  his  tidings,  and  so  bitter 
that  I  was  as  one  struck  dumb.  Finally  I  be 
thought  me  of  the  gaze  upon  me  and  said : 
"  Then  we  have  need  to  hasten." 

"  I  travel  far  to-night,"  the  war-chief  an 
swered,  and  I  noticed  that  he  was  fully  armed 
and  equipped  for  the  war-path. 

"  I  will  go  with  you,  Lumulgee,"  I  cried, 
starting  towards  my  camp. 

He  motioned  me  back. 

"  Captain  Middleton  leads  his  warriors  and 
the  braves  of  my  nation.  To-night  they  sleep  in 
the  forest,  for  there  will  be  much  hard  fighting 
and  they  have  need  to  be  fresh.  To-morrow," 

93 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

he  continued,  "  at  the  setting  of  the  new  moon, 
Lumulgee  will  open  the  gate  of  Augustine  for 
Captain  Middleton  to  enter  with  his  soldiers  and 
the  picked  men  of  the  Choctaws." 


94 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 


THE  heavens  were  bright  with  stars  when 
we  next  set  out  towards  Augustine. 
As  silent  as  the  shades  of  dead  men 
we  moved  through  the  trees  or  picked  our  way 
across  the  marshes.  On  other  marches  there 
had  been  laughs  and  jests  and  gay  songs,  but 
this  morning  our  thoughts  were  busied  with 
more  serious  subjects.  My  men  knew  of  the 
sailing  of  the  king's  ships  to  the  northward, 
they  knew  that  they  would  meet  no  friends  be 
fore  the  gates  of  Augustine,  and  the  bodings 
of  the  great  enterprise  that  lay  before  us  quieted 
those  whose  wont  it  was  to  be  most  gay.  The 
Indians  were  well  acquainted  with  the  danger 
ous  project  which  their  war-chief,  the  great 
man  of  their  people,  had  gone  forward  alone 
to  accomplish.  They  knew  as  well  as  I  the 
hatred  that  burned  in  his  breast  and  the  mighty 
revenge  he  purposed.  As  silent  as  the  stars  in 
the  heavens  they  walked  at  my  side  and  around 
me,  guiding  my  course  through  that  pathless 
forest. 

A  line  of  silver  light  marked  the  eastern  hori- 

95 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

zon,  and  an  inky  blackness  spread  up  over  the 
heavens,  extinguishing  the  stars  in  whole  bat 
talions.  The  light  line  broadened  and  shot  out 
silver  points.  The  points  lengthened,  the  line 
gained  a  purple  fringe.  The  blackness  over  our 
heads  was  cut  asunder  by  a  silver  ray,  and  the 
blankets  of  the  night  rolled  away  north  and 
south,  leaving  a  mighty  roadway  of  pure  gold. 
The  whole  heavens  were  a  blaze  of  light.  In 
the  east  lay  purple  and  red  and  gold  cloud 
banks  among  which  the  sun  rose  blood-red. 

"  It  will  be  a  hot  day,"  said  Master  Bernard 
Schinking.  They  were  the  first  words  to  break 
the  silence  of  our  march. 

"  A  starless  night  will  follow,"  added  the 
Choctaw  warrior  \vho  walked  at  my  stirrup, 
indicating  a  faint  hazy  circle  about  the  sun. 

"  Then  all  will  go  well  with  our  enterprise," 
I  said,  speaking  with  a  confidence  that  I  did  not 
feel. 

"  And  I  will  see  my  sister  again,"  exclaimed 
Jonathan  Blake.  I  turned  my  eyes  upon  him 
and  nodded  assent,  although  my  heart  was 
gripped  by  a  boding  fear  of  evil. 

On  \ve  marched,  making  many  miles  in 
silence.  The  sun  rose  high  in  the  heavens  and 
beat  down  upon  us  with  an  intensity  and  a  bril 
liance  that  was  blinding  whenever  our  way  led 
not  through  the  forest.  The  birds,  with  whose 

96 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

singing  the  very  air  seemed  pulsing  earlier  in 
the  day,  became  mute  and  disappeared.  The 
beasts  of  the  forest,  great  and  small,  sought 
their  lairs  or  lay  dozing  in  the  mud  of  the 
marshes  or  the  cool  water  of  shady  streams.  In 
all  that  long  stretch  of  country,  woods,  marshes 
and  meadows,  we  seemed  the  only  things  astir. 
Onward  we  marched,  and  the  trees  and  flowers 
that  made  beautiful  beyond  compare  that  won 
derful  summer  land  seemed  to  cease  their  whis 
perings  and  more  faintly  give  out  their  per 
fumes  as  we  passed  among  them. 

It  was  an  hour  after  noon  when  we  came  to 
the  banks  of  a  river  and,  halting,  gazed  across 
at  a  score  or  more  of  not  too  great  wigwams. 
From  the  further  side  a  canoe  shot  out,  then 
another,  and  another,  until  down  the  bank  for 
half  a  mile  every  hanging  bough  was  changed 
into  a  canoe  manned  by  a  supple  brown  figure. 
Silently  they  came  across,  and,  when  within 
our  reach,  as  silently  awaited  their  lading.  I 
asked  no  questions,  but  leading  my  horse 
stepped  into  the  canoe  with  the  Choctaw  brave 
who  had  marched  at  my  side  throughout  the 
day.  He  exchanged  neither  words  nor  signs 
with  the  savage  whose  dextrously-handled 
paddles  carried  us  swiftly  across  the  stream. 
Once  landed,  as  we  walked  up  the  bank,  there 
came  to  meet  us  a  young  Indian  chief,  accom- 

97 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

panied  by  a  half  dozen  warriors.  Their  greet 
ings  were  friendly,  though  they  brought  neither 
presents  nor  peace  offerings. 

"  The  caciaca  of  the  Cutifachiqui  goes  to 
pray  in  her  temple  beyond  the  river,"  the  young1 
chief  told  me;  the  Choctaw  warrior  standing 
between  us  acted  as  interpreter,  for  the  stranger 
understood  not  English  and  I  spoke  no  Span 
ish.  "  She  has  smoked  the  peace-pipe  with 
the  pale  face  chief  that  rules  at  Augustine  and 
her  people  call  the  Spaniard  brother.  Singing 
birds  have  told  her  of  Captain  Middleton  and 
his  warriors  who  march  to  the  south  with  the 
great  war-chief  of  the  Choctaws  and  his  braves, 
though  they  have  not  told  where  he  goes  nor  his 
mission.  She  tarries  long  with  her  people  in 
the  great  temple  of  her  nation,  but  the  floors  of 
the  wigwams  in  her  village  are  clean  swept  and 
there  is  food  in  plenty." 

I  smiled  at  the  artfully  worded  message  of 
this  woman  ruler,  who,  report  had  told  me,  was 
scarce  more  than  a  girl.  I  returned  the  young 
chief's  greeting  with  the  best  grace  I  could 
command  and  bade  him  thank  his  mistress  both 
for  myself  and  the  men  who  followed  me. 
Then  I  asked  of  the  Choctaw : 

"  Does  he  say  naught  of  the  maiden  and  the 
pale  face  squaw  and  the  white  chief  who  walked 
bound  in  the  midst  of  the  Yemassees  ?  " 

98 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

'  They  all  went  within  the  walls  of  Augus 
tine,"  he  answered. 

"They  are  there  still?"  I  questioned  in 
alarm. 

"  Of  the  white  chief  he  cannot  tell,  for  no 
man  has  seen  him  since  he  walked  through  the 
gates  with  the  Yemassee  dogs.  The  maiden 
lodges  in  the  great  palace  of  the  Governor  with 
the  pale  face  squaw  and  her  black  woman.  The 
great  ship  still  lies  before  the  city,  making 
ready  to  sail." 

"  Lumulgee,"  I  questioned,  "  has  he  no  news 
of  him?  " 

The  face  of  the  Choctaw  became  as  expres 
sionless  as  marble  and  as  immovable.  He  gazed 
fixedly  across  the  river  as  though  noting  some 
thing  on  the  farther  bank. 

"  The  Cutifachiqui  are  at  peace  with  the 
Spaniards,  and  see  not  their  enemies,"  he  an 
swered,  in  a  voice  that  was  like  his  face  in 
expression.  '  This  morning  at  sunrise  the 
Cutifachiqui  brave  entered  the  gate  of  the  city 
with  an  old  man  from  the  south,  a  man  so  old 
that  he  drew  his  mantle  about  him  against  the 
salt  breeze.  At  noon  when  he  left  the  city  the 
old  man  sat  on  the  steps  of  the  Governor's  pal 
ace  selling  small  wares.  The  brave  saw  naught 
of  Lumulgee.  The  war-chief  of  the  Choctaws 
is  the  great  eagle  of  his  nation.  He  has  the 

99 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

wisdom  of  the  white  man  and  the  Indian.  He 
will  meet  Captain  Middleton  in  the  place  and 
at  the  hour  he  appointed." 

We  found  the  cool  shade  of  the  wig-vvams 
most  grateful  after  the  heat  and  glare  of  the 
sun,  and  the  food  was  both  plentiful  and  suited 
to  our  palates.  My  men  kept  well  in  the  huts, 
with  the  mats  hanging  over  the  entrance,  as  did 
the  Choctaw  braves  except  those  few  who 
smoked  or  loitered  about  the  village  with  the 
Cutifachiqui  chief  and  his  warriors.  A  stranger 
passing  would  have  seen  naught  beyond  a  de 
serted  Indian  village  in  which  a  band  of  young 
warriors,  returning  from  the  hunt,  sat  idly 
smoking  and  waiting  the  return  of  their  tribe. 
That  the  Choctaw  sentinels  changed  from  time 
to  time,  and  that  not  a  stick  cracked  nor  a  leaf 
rustled  in  the  forest  that  they  did  not  hear  and 
seek  out  the  reason,  I  knew  right  well.  Though 
the  men  around  me  slept  soundly,  I  could  not 
for  a  moment  lose  my  thoughts.  All  through 
the  afternoon  and  hours  far  into  the  night  I  lay 
there  staring  out  upon  the  river  through  a 
break  in  the  thatching  of  the  hut. 

I  watched  the  blue  of  the  river  become  more 
blue.  Then  it  changed  to  a  green,  soft  and 
sheeny,  with  countless  sparkling  wavelets,  red, 
purple  and  gold  tipped.  Then  all  the  colors  of 
the  rainbow  were  there,  with  many  shades  be- 

IOO 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

sides,  and  the  surface  of  the  water  shone  as 
though  studded  with  myriads  of  sparkling 
gems.  The  colors  became  more  subdued  and 
the  gold  changed  to  silver.  One  by  one  the 
stars  came  out  until  the  bosom  of  the  river 
seemed  a  milky-way  on  which  the  crescent 
moon  appeared, — a  silver  boat,  wave  tossed. 

It  was,  perhaps,  an  hour  before  midnight 
that  the  mat  at  the  entrance  of  the  wigwam  was 
lifted  and  going  out  I  found  the  Choctaw  war 
rior  awaiting  me.  The  face  of  the  heavens  had 
changed  since  the  rising  of  the  moon.  The  whole 
sky  was  overcast  by  fleecy  clouds  through  which 
the  stars  and  the  moon,  now  low  in  the  west, 
shone  dimly.  Two  hours  of  silent  creeping 
through  the  forest,  the  mud  and  the  water  of 
the  marshes,  brought  us  in  sight  of  Augustine, 
and  within  two  hundred  paces  of  the  gate. 
Black  clouds  were  banking  up  in  the  east  and 
the  breeze  from  the  sea  was  both  damp  and 
chilling.  The  moon  appeared,  a  dim  crescent 
in  the  west,  where  earth  and  sky  seemed  to 
meet.  Then  it  disappeared;  but  looking,  as  I 
lay  among  the  tall  grass  on  the  edge  of  the 
marsh,  I  saw  a  faint  silver  light  showing  above 
the  dark  cloud  that  was  slipping  down  in  the 
west.  Still  I  looked,  and  I  knew  that  the  eyes 
of  every  man  of  my  following  were  upon  the 
same  errand,  though  I  could  neither  see  nor 

101 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

hear  them.  At  last  the  silver  light  faded  and 
the  cloud  sank  from  view. 

'  Yap,  yap,  yap !  "  came  the  bark  of  a  fox 
from  that  edge  of  the  forest  which  lay  some 
what  nearer  the  walls  though  an  hundred  paces 
farther  inland  than  the  marsh  in  which  we 
crouched.  Three  times  the  bark  was  repeated 
and  so  perfect  was  the  sound  that  my  mind  mis 
gave  me,  but  the  savage  at  my  side  stirred ;  he 
crawled  forward,  and  I  with  him.  Across  that 
open  space,  twice  an  hundred  paces,  we  crept, 
now  crawling,  now  lying  motionless  upon  the 
smooth  surface  of  the  trodden  grass  while  we 
waited  the  passing  of  a  cloud  to  extinguish 
the  starlight.  At  length  reaching  the  shadow 
of  the  wall  we  arose  to  our  feet  and  glided 
noiselessly  towards  the  gate. 

"  Yap,  yap,  yap !  "  barked  the  fox  in  the 
forest. 

I  held  my  breath — I  could  feel  though  not 
hear  the  panting  of  the  men  who  crowded  each 
other  upon  my  heels.  We  listened.  Then 
there  came  the  sound  of  a  dispute,  the  gate 
keeper  refusing  to  open  to  some  one  who  would 
pass  without  a  warrant.  I  glanced  at  the  face 
of  the  Indian  beside  me  but  could  tell  nothing 
for  the  darkness,  and  I  well  knew  that  I  could 
have  told  no  more  had  it  have  been  high  noon. 
We  still  listened  and  the  quarrel  went  on,  grow- 

102 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

ing  more  hot.  Then  there  fell  on  my  ears  the 
sound  of  faint  footfalls  that  grew  more  dis 
tinct.  It  was  the  watchman  on  the  walls  com 
ing  towards  us.  We  shrank  back  into  shadow, 
trying  to  flatten  ourselves  against  the  rough 
masonry.  The  dispute  within  had  stopped. 
The  watchman  walked  on  the  wall  over  us. 
He  halted,  then  went  on,  and  I  never 
knew  a  man  to  walk  so  slowly.  It  seemed 
an  eternity  before  the  sound  of  his  footfalls 
ceased  to  beat  upon  my  ears.  Again  I  strained 
my  ears  to  catch  some  sound  within  the  gate. 
It  seemed  a  city  of  the  dead  so  still  it  was.  My 
heart  throbs  sounded  like  drum  beats ;  the  pulse 
in  my  brain  beat  to  bursting;  I  grew  deaf  and 
blind  in  my  very  effort  to  hear  a  sound  that  was 
not. 

The  dispute  within  the  walls  began  again 
and  all  was  so  still  that  I  could  hear  the  voice 
of  both  speakers.  They  spoke  pure  Spanish, 
both  the  keeper  and  the  man  who  would  pass 
the  gate.  I  felt  the  chill  of  death  in  my  bones, 
for  I  knew  that  if  that  gate  warden  should  be 
too  strongly  tempted  we  would  not  pass  within 
the  walls  unresisted.  I  also  knew  that  once  the 
alarm  was  given  there  would  be  soldiers,  well 
trained  and  twice  our  numbers,  to  meet  us. 
D'Alva  ruled  neither  his  city  nor  his  foes  by 
gentle  means,  and  report  said  that  he  allowed 

103 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

his  soldiers  neither  rest  nor  sleep.  The  voices 
within  had  become  more  friendly,  and  thinking 
of  Antoinette  I  grasped  my  dagger,  determined 
to  plunge  it  in  him  who  left  the  gate  and  the 
keeper  who  barred  our  passage.  I  had  not 

come  thus  far  to 

There  was  a  smothered  cry,  the  sound  of  a 
scuffle,  a  half -muttered  oath.  I  grasped  my 
dagger  more  firmly  and  waited,  ready  to  drive 
it  in.  I  heard  the  bolts  drawn  back.  Then — 
the  gate  opened. 


104 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 


BEFORE  us  in  the  gate  stood  the  great 
war-chief  of  the  Choctaws,  splendid  in 
his  war  trappings,  his  hunting  knife 
dripping  blood.      A  moment  we  stared  at  him, 
then   we   rushed  in,   and  when  the  last  man 
had  come  within  the  walls  the  chief  lifted  his 
tomahawk,    and   there   came   forth    from   two 
hundred  throats  the  blood-curdling  war-whoop 
of  the  Choctaws. 

It  was  Lumulgee's  notice  to  his  enemy  of  his 
presence  and  of  the  terrible  revenge  he  had 
come  to  take  for  his  own  and  his  warrior's 
wrongs  after  ten  long  years  of  planning. 

After  that  hellish  cry  there  followed  a  dead 
silence.  Black  clouds  had  spread  over  the 
stars  and  heaven  itself  seemed  affrighted. 
Then  the  wails  of  children,  terrified  screams, 
and  a  torrent  of  Spanish  oaths  sounded  from 
within  the  houses.  Lights  glimmered  and  men 
called  to  each  other  across  the  narrow  streets. 
We  waited  not,  but  ran  on  swiftly  up  the  street, 
towards  the  palace  of  the  Governor.  Every  step 

105 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

of  the  way  the  great  war-chief  of  the  Choctaws 
ran  at  my  side — his  hunting  knife  blood- 
smeared  and  still  unsheathed. 

There  were  guards  around  the  palace  in 
plenty  for  peace  times  but  they  disappeared  at 
our  coming,  swept  away  like  thistle-down  be 
fore  the  north  wind.  They  had  heard  the  war- 
whoop  as  had  those  in  the  palace.  Lights 
flashed  from  room  to  room,  and  we  found  the 
doors  barricaded  and  men  within  the  windows 
to  guard  them.  First  we  attacked  the  great 
entrance,  but  finding  that  the  stout  iron-bound 
doors  resisted  our  onslaught  the  wily  savage 
chief  had  a  more  cunning  plan. 

"  Send  thy  soldiers  with  fifty  of  my  warriors 
to  guard  the  streets  against  the  coming  of  the 
robbers  from  the  fort;  the  boy  chief  with  fifty 
more  braves  to  the  door  on  the  side  of  the 
lodge,  and  leave  thy  Dutch  chief  here  with 
fifty,"  he  said,  and  I,  sure  of  his  knowledge  of 
the  city  and  the  wisdom  of  his  plans,  gave  the 
orders,  while  he  stationed  the  remaining  fifty 
Choctaws,  With  bows  drawn,  in  positions  to 
command  the  windows. 

'  There  is  yet  another  door."  he  said,  com 
ing  back  to  my  side.  "  A  little  door  that  leads 
from  the  quarters  of  their  women." 

I  looked  into  his  eyes  then,  and  without  a 
word  turned  and  strode  in  the  direction  which 

106 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

he  led.  As  we  passed  around  the  house  to 
wards  the  back,  from  the  very  door  we  sought, 
two  people  issued  forth — women.  In  the 
twinkle  of  an  eye  Lumulgee  was  upon  them,  his 
hunting  knife  buried  in  the  breast  of  one;  his 
whirling  tomahawk  cleft  the  skull  of  the  other. 
Then  he  threw  his  head  far  back  and  gave  forth 
that  mighty  cry  of  exultation — the  most  de 
moniacal  which  I  believe  has  ever  passed  hu 
man  lips — the  blood  song  of  his  nation.  He 
had  drawn  the  first  blood  of  the  battle,  and  he 
thus  announced  it  to  his  warriors.  They  took 
up  the  infernal  cry,  repeating  it  until  the  walls 
of  the  city,  the  air,  the  very  heavens,  from  the 
black  clouds  that  lowered  above  our  heads, 
seemed  reverberating  with  it. 

At  the  hellish  sound  my  heart  misgave  me, 
that  I  should  have  allied  myself  with  demons 
bent  on  such  devilish  work.  I  thought  of  the 
women  and  children  so  rudely  awakened  and 
the  cruel  fate  that  I  had  helped  to  foist  upon 
them.  I  thought  of  the  many — I  thought  of 
Antoinette,  and  all  pity,  all  misgivings  about 
my  enterprise  fled.  I  remembered  the  two 
women  snatched  from  under  the  very  walls  of 
Charleston  by  men,  men  who  had  not  the  cour 
age  to  sound  even  a  warwhoop.  What  fate 
was  planned  for  them,  or  what  had  been  their 
treatment  in  this  city  where  they  were  held 

107 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TO  UNO 

captives,  I  did  not  know,  but  knowing  that  An 
toinette  still  lived  I  felt  that  they  had  both  so 
far  escaped  the  worst.  Thinking  of  all  this 
and  of  the  wounded  prisoner  and  the  glowing 
pits  that  I  had  left  behind  so  many  days  ago  on 
the  bluff  overlooking  the  Isundiga,  a  mighty 
hatred  possessed  me;  a  hatred  for  the  man  who 
had  caused  it  all  and  a  thirst  for  revenge;  a 
mighty  desire  to  throttle  him,  to  get  my  fingers 
behind  his  windpipe  that  I  might  jerk  it  out  and 
so  leave  him.  All  feeling  for  my  kind  left  me 
and  I  too  became  as  a  devil  possessed  of  all  the 
passions  of  hell. 

Blindly  I  rushed  forward  with  the  savage 
chief.  Behind  some  blooming  vines  and  shrub 
bery  we  found  the  little  door,  and,  putting  our 
shoulders  to  it,  we  burst  it  from  its  hinges.  We 
found  ourselves  at  the  foot  of  a  narrow  flight 
of  stairs,  built  into  the  wall;  at  the  top  a  faint 
light  glimmered.  It  was  evidently  a  private  en 
trance  and  these  stairs  led,  perhaps  to  some 
lady's  bower — I  thought  of  Antoinette  and 
would  have  rushed  up  had  not  Lumulgee  placed 
his  hand  upon  my  arm. 

"  That  is  but  the  light  that  comes  from 
heaven,"  he  said,  pointing  towards  the  top  of 
the  stairs.  "  It  leads  to  the  roof.  Lumulgee 
will  show  his  white  brother;  he  will  lead  him  to 
the  lair  of  the  robber." 

108 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

Leaning  forward — it  was  so  dark  that  I  could 
not  see  what  he  did — he  lifted  up  the  lower  end 
of  the  steps  and  disclosed  what  at  first  appeared 
to  be  a  deep  and  dark  hole.  Peering  in  I  made 
out  another  flight  of  steps  leading  down. 
Obeying  his  touch  I  stepped  forward  and  began 
to  descend;  he  followed  me  after  he  had  closed 
the  way  by  which  we  entered,  and  in  so  doing 
shut  out  the  dusky  light  that  came  to  us  through 
the  open  door,  and  which,  when  compared  to  the 
inky  blackness  through  which  we  walked,  was 
as  the  brightness  of  noonday.  Down  the  stairs 
we  groped  to  an  underground  passage — under 
ground  I  knew  both  from  the  chill  that  clutched 
me  and  the  dead  silence  that  it  contained;  not 
the  faintest  echo  of  the  turmoil  that  we  had  left 
behind  reached  us  after  the  closing  of  that  trap 
door.  That  it  was  of  sufficient  width  for  three 
men  to  walk  abreast,  I  learned  bystretching  my 
arms  from  one  side  to  the  other;  I  discovered, 
also,  that  it  was  walled  with  rough  masonry. 
We  had  walked  perhaps  an  hundred  yards  in 
this  passage;  and  I  was  but  a  step  ahead  of  the 
war-chief,  when  I  came  bump!  against  the 
wall. 

"It  is  the  end,  Lumulgee,"  I  exclaimed,  re 
coiling  from  the  shock. 

"  Captain  Middleton  has  but  just  come  to  the 
dividing  of  the  two  ways,"  he  answered.  "  Lu- 

109 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

mulgee  will  first  show  the  white  chief  how  the 
Spanish  robber  watches  the  women  whom  he 
holds  captive  in  his  palace,  then  take  him  to  the 
lair  of  the  robber."  His  hand  turned  me  into 
the  passage  on  the  left. 

From  the  foot  of  the  last  stairs  the  floor  of 
the  passage  had  sloped  gently  downward. 
Now  we  began  to  ascend  more  and  more  ab 
ruptly.  Neither  did  we  move  straight  ahead  as 
in  the  first  passage,  but  bore  always  to  the  right. 
I  had  begun  to  think  that  we  were  making  a 
circle,  when  Lumulgee's  hand  touched  me  and 
he  indicated  a  ray  of  grey  light  which  I  had 
seen  only  the  smallest  space  of  time  before  I  felt 
the  weight  of  his  hand.  As  faintly  as  the  light 
shone  there  came  to  my  ears  the  shouts  and 
cries  of  both  those  who  stormed  and  those  who 
defended  the  palace. 

"  That  light  comes  from  the  room  in  which 
sleeps  the  woman  whom  the  Spanish  thief 
would  watch,"  the  Indian  at  my  side  said,  and 
his  deep  contempt  for  so  cowardly  a  deed  made 
itself  felt  even  in  his  passionless  voice.  "  The 
white  maiden  whom  Captain  Middleton  seeks 
has  slept  there  many  nights  with  her  black 
woman  and  the  pale  face  squaw.  This  night 
she  sleeps  so  soundly  that  the  noise  does  not 
awake  her  or  else  they  listen  in  silence.  She 

I  10 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

burns  her  light  dimly  or  that  ray  would  shine 
more  red." 

He  leaned  forward  and  placed  his  eye  to  the 
opening.  Then  he  moved  back  and  something 
more  like  a  laugh  than  any  sound  I  had  ever 
before  heard  from  Indian  escaped  him. 

"  The  white  maiden  is  as  wise  as  the  serpent 
and  hath  the  eyes  of  a  hawk."  he  said.  "  She 
hath  seen  the  eye  of  the  man  who  spied  upon 
her  and  covered  his  peep-hole.  Will  Captain 
Middleton  look?" 

I  pressed  my  eye  to  the  hole — it  was  of  about 
the  bigness  of  a  man's  eye — but  could  see  noth 
ing  save  a  grey  spot  as  of  light  shining  through 
a  thick  cloth.  There  were  no  sounds  except 
those  made  by  the  men  who  warred  against 
each  other.  Coming  as  faintly  as  they  did 
these  cries  once  more  awakened  my  thirst  for 
revenge  against  the  man,  the  baseness  of  whose 
nature  I  was  only  just  beginning  to  com 
prehend. 

"  We  must  hasten  to  the  Governor,  Lumul- 
gee,"  I  exclaimed,  turning  back  in  the  direction 
whence  we  had  come. 

Again  came  that  sound  of  savage  mirth,  and 
I  knew  that  the  great  chief  laughed,  pleased  by 
the  longing  for  revenge  that  the  eagerness  in 
my  voice  evidenced.  Silently  he  turned  and  I 

III 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

followed  him.  We  retraced  our  steps  past  the 
central  passage  and  began  another  ascent, 
bearing  always  to  the  left  until  I  realized  that 
the  spot  we  sought  could  be  but  a  few  paces 
from  the  end  of  that  passage  with  the  peep 
hole.  This  struck  me  as  a  wondrously  strange 
waste  of  work  and  I  began  to  puzzle  for  a  rea 
son,  which  when  found,  I  knew  would  be  dark 
as  hell  itself. 

"  WL:.t  does  this  circle  that  we  have  well 
nigh  passed  around  contain,  Lumulgee  ? "  I 
asked. 

"  A  dungeon  as  damp  as  it  is  black,"  he  an 
swered.  "  In  it  the  Spanish  thief  puts  women 
when  all  else  has  failed  and  such  of  his  other 
prisoners  as  he  would  have  tortured  under  his 
o\vn  eyes.  Lumulgee  was  there  when  the  Span 
iard  sought  to  wring  from  him  the  treasure  of 
the  great  temple  of  the  Choctaws." 

"  Antoinette !  "  I  cried.  "  The  white  maiden 
whom  we  seek,  she  was  not  in  that  room  with 
the  peep-hole?  " 

"  At  the  sunset  she.  with  her  black  woman 
and  the  white  squaw,  walked  on  the  sea  wall 
with  the  Governor  and  his  nephew  to  whom  he 
seeks  to  mate  her.  She  spoke  gaily,  with  jests 
that  made  all  who  were  with  her  laugh.  Her 
eyes  were  bright  as  stars  and  she  has  roses,  not 
lilies,  in  her  cheeks.  The  eyes  of  the  young 

I  12 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

Spanish  chief  never  leave  her;  he  can  see 
naught  else.  He  is  as  tall  as  Captain  Middle- 
ton  and  more  beautiful  than  anything  in  the 
forest." 

This  was  the  first  description  that  I  had  of 
him  who  I  knew  would  prove  my  bitterest 
enemy,  and  my  hatred  for  him  was  as  great  as 
my  love  for  the  girl  he  sought,  though  the  one 
passion  was  of  less  than  an  hour's  growth  while 
the  other  was  the  growth  of  well  nigh  her 
whole  lifetime.  I  placed  my  hand  on  my  sword 
and  drew  it  from  its  scabbard.  My  ears  caught 
the  first  faint  sounds  of  the  contest  that  raged 
without,  and  they  grew  so  great  as  we  hastened 
on  that  I  knew  our  men  must  have  gained 
entrance. 

"  Captain  Midclleton  will  have  need  for  his 
weapon,"  the  chief  said  as  my  sword  left  its 
scabbard.  "  We  are  upon  the  door  to  the  great 
room  of  the  robber  and  there  will  be  much 
fighting." 

We  stopped  and  Lumulgee  leaned  forward. 
Then  the  wall  that  faced  us  opened  and  we 
stepped  into  a  passage  less  damp  and  dark. 
Here  the  sounds  from  without  came  so  loudly 
that  I  could  distinguish  the  voices  and  the  clash 
of  swords.  Again  we  stopped  and  I  knew  that 
the  Indian  at  my  side  felt  for  some  spring  hid 
den  in  the  wall.  A  panel  slid  back  and  let  in  a 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    YOUNG 

glare  of  light  that,  as  it  struck  us,  for  a  moment 
blinded  me. 

The  room  into  which  we  looked  was  evi 
dently  the  last  redoubt  of  the  Governor  in  his 
palace  and  he  doubtless  intended,  if  driven  from 
it  before  the  arrival  of  his  troops  from  the 
fort,  to  escape  into  the  city  by  means  of  the 
secret  passage  through  which  the  one  man  in 
the  world  who  thirsted  most  for  his  blood,  had 
come  to  seek  him  out.  The  Governor  and  he 
whom  I  knew  to  be  my  enemy,  though  it  was  the 
first  time  that  I  had  ever  clapped  eyes  upon  him, 
with  two  dozen  men — guards  and  servitors  in 
the  palace — waited  with  weapons  ready  drawn 
for  those  who  attacked  the  barricaded  door  to 
force  their  entrance.  Their  backs  were  towards 
us  as,  for  an  instant,  we  stood  without  the  se 
cret  door.  The  movement  of  the  panel  had 
been  silent,  noiseless,  yet  as  though  drawn  by  a 
mighty  fascination  the  Spanish  ruler  turned 
and  looked  upon  the  face  of  Lumulgee.  A  mo 
ment  they  glared  into  each  other's  eyes,  the 
hunted  man  paling  under  the  eyes  of  his  enemy; 
then  with  a  blasphemous  oath  the  Spaniard 
sprang  forward  to  cut  off  our  entrance — his 
men  moving  with  him.  We  were  too  quick  for 
them.  We  rushed  in  and  from  a  touch  of  Lu- 
mulgee's  hand  the  panel  slipped  back  into 
place. 

114 


WHEN  the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

I  am  rated  a  good  swordsman  and  fear  not 
to  meet  any  living  man  with  two  good  blades 
between  us,  but  when  this  crowd  rushed  upon 
us,  two  dozen  and  two  against  two,  I  cannot 
swear  that  I  felt  no  coward  longing  in  my 
heart.  If  it  was  there — though  I  say  not  it  was 
— I  gave  it  scant  hearing,  for  placing  my  back 
against  the  wall,  shoulder  to  shoulder  with 
Lumulgee,  I  met  them  with  my  flashing  sword. 
One  at  least — a  guard  tall  and  weighty — felt 
its  keenness  and  sank  dying  at  my  feet,  form 
ing  a  barrier  from  which  his  fellows  shrank 
back  glaring  at  us.  Lumulgee  too  had  slain  an 
enemy  who  lay,  with  cleft  skull,  sprawling  be 
fore  us.  A  moment  they  glared  at  us,  crowded 
against  the  farther  side  of  the  wall.  We  could 
hear  the  shouts  of  our  men  running  back  and 
forth  over  the  palace  as  they  chased  the  fleeing 
inmates  or  sought  the  quarry  that  we  had 
found.  Then  mine  enemy,  choosing  six  men, 
who  knew  well  how  to  handle  their  weapons  I 
warrant,  strode  forward  more  coolly  to  meet 
us.  The  Governor  forced  by  his  nephew — for 
I  must  say  the  Spaniard  acted  not  the  coward 
but  ever  seemed  as  willing  to  meet  Lumulgee 
as  the  war-chief  was  to  get  at  him — stood  sur 
rounded  by  his  men  and  crying  out  warnings 
to  those  who  fought. 

It   was   the   sword   of   the   young    Spanish 


WHEN  the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

Apollo  that  crossed  my  own  while  his  fellows 
pitched  upon  Lumulgee.  I  looked  into  his  eyes 
and  met  a  hatred  as  great  as  my  own,  and  I  soon 
knew  that  I  had  met  as  good  a  swordsman. 

Our  swords  flashed  and  the  movement  of 
both  eyes  and  wrist  was  as  lightning.  I  touched 
him  more  than  once  and  as  often  felt  his  cold 
steel  enter  my  flesh.  Lumulgee  finished  two  of 
his  foes  and  some  half  dozen  of  those  who  held 
guard  about  the  Governor  rushed  forward  to 
take  their  place.  As  they  came  upon  him  the 
great  war-chief  lifted  his  head  and  again  the 
blood-song  of  theChoctaws  sounded — this  time 
with  a  trailing  end  note  that  I  knew  called  his 
warriors  to  him  with  the  swiftness  of  dogs  on 
the  hunt.  They  came.  The  barricaded  door 
resounded,  then  shook  with  the  fury  of  their 
attack.  My  enemy's  thrusts  became  more  rapid 
and  harder  to  parry.  The  panel  against  which 
the  Governor  stood  was  opened  and,  pushed  by 
his  men,  he  turned  to  flee.  Then  there  went 
flashing,  whirling  with  a  swiftness  that  made 
its  singing  heard  above  the  shouts  and  noise 
outside,  the  war-hatchet  of  his  enemy.  With 
his  head  cleft  to  the  chin  the  Governor  of 
Augustine  fell  across  the  threshold  of  the  room 
which  he  was  about  to  enter.  The  shrieks  of 
terrified  women  mingled  with  the  blood-song 
of  the  Indian  chief  and  there  flashed  before  my 

116 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

eyes  as  they  watched  the  movements,  the  very 
thoughts  of  the  man  who  sought  my  life,  a 
mingled  vision  of  women's  bright  skirts  and 
white  faces.  Then  there  sounded  a  cry  in 
which  there  was  neither  fear  nor  anger. 

"Jack!  Jack!  I  said  it  was  you,  come  to 
save  me  and  my  father." 

Over  the  Governor's  body,  into  the  room 
strewn  with  dead  men  and  slippery  with  blood, 
she  sped  towards  me.  The  Spaniard  made  des 
perate,  as  I  saw  by  the  note  of  gladness  in  her 
voice,  gave  a  furious  thrust  and  my  blade 
pierced  him  through,  the  point  showing  at  his 
back.  I  drew  it  out.  She  reached  my  side  as 
he  sank  at  my  feet,  the  door  burst  open  and 
Jonathan  Blake  and  those  he  led  rushed  in. 

There  was  small  time  for  dalliance.  The 
shouts  in  the  streets  warned  us  of  the  approach 
of  the  soldiers  from  the  fort  and  I  was  wounded, 
my  clothes  bloodstained  from  wounds  that 
were  more  than  sword  pricks,  but  there  was 
that  within  her  eyes  for  the  knowledge  of 
which  I  would  gladly  have  yielded  up  every 
drop  of  blood  in  my  body.  A  moment  I  held 
her  in  my  arms  and  pressed  my  lips  to  hers; 
then  I  led  her  into  the  room  from  which  she 
had  come  and  in  which  Mistress  Moreton  and 
the  black  woman  still  remained.  We  found 
only  Jonathan  Blake  and  Acuera  with  the 

117 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

women.  On  the  breaking  in  of  the  door  the 
Spaniards  who  still  fought  Lumulgee  had  fled 
into  other  rooms  of  the  palace  and  our  men 
after  them.  I  gave  one  quick  startled  look 
towards  the  room  which  we  had  just  left,  think 
ing  only  of  the  dead  men  who  strewed  the  floor; 
then  I  turned  to  the  Coosaw. 

"  Lumulgee?  "  I  asked. 

"  The  great  war-chief  of  the  Choctaws  bore 
away  the  body  of  his  enemy  and  covered  his 
blood  that  the  women  of  his  English  brothers 
need  not  look  upon  it,"  Acuera  replied,  mo 
tioning  to  the  spot  where  the  Governor  had 
fallen  and  which  I  now  saw  was  covered  by  a 
Spanish  cloak. 

I  asked  not  where  he  bore  the  body  nor  for 
what  purpose,  for  my  thoughts  and  eyes  were 
filled  with  the  safety  of  the  girl  who  stood  at  my 
side,  her  hand  clasped  in  my  own. 

"  You  must  come  with  us,  Antoinette,"  I 
said.  "  You  and  Mistress  Moreton  and  Mar- 
cie.  We  have  not  the  strength  to  beat  back  the 
soldiers  and  the  people  of  the  town  for  long  and 
we  must  get  beyond  its  wall  and  into  the 
forest." 

"  I  am  ready,  Jack,"  she  answered.  "  I  can 
walk  as  fast  and  far  as  any  white  man.  but 
Marcie  is  old  and  Mistress  Moreton " 

She  broke  off,  her  face  growing  pale.    "  Jack, 

118 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

Jack,  where  is  my  father?  "  she  cried.  "  Have 
you  taken  him  out  of  that  dungeon  vault  into 
which  they  thrust  him  yesterday  at  noon  ?  " 

My  heart  grew  cold  within  my  breast  as  I 
met  the  wild  questioning  of  her  eyes.  In  my 
eager,  determined  search  for  her  and  the  wild 
joy  that  followed  our  meeting  I  had  thought  of 
nothing  else,  and  the  thought  of  the  charge 
that  she  had  placed  upon  me  and  the  Gover 
nor's  commands  had  been  entirely  forgotten. 

"  Can  the  white  maiden  tell  where  the  Span 
ish  robber  hid  the  white  chief,  her  father  ?  " 
Lumulgee's  voice  asked,  and,  turning,  I  found 
him  standing  before  us. 

For  a  moment  Antoinette  gazed  at  him  and 
then  as  though  recognizing  the  greatness  of  his 
prowess  and  his  high  rank  from  the  dignity  of 
his  face  and  bearing,  she  swept  him  a  courtesy 
that  was  both  graceful  and  respectful. 

"  Aye,"  she  answered,  when  he  had  returned 
her  greeting  with  a  courtly  dignity  that  Louis 
himself  might  have  envied.  "  Yesterday  noon 
they  took  me  to  see  them  wall  him  up  in  his  cell, 
a  cell  so  small  that  it  was  scarce  more  than  a 
vault.  They  thought  that  the  sight  of  him  and 
the  suffering  that  he  would  endure  would  force 
me  to  wed  the  nephew  of  the  butcher  who,  less 
than  an  hour  ago,  was  the  Governor  of  Augus 
tine.  But  I  obeyed  my  father  and  would  not; 

119 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

so  they  walled  him  up  and  left  him  there  to  die 
of  hunger  and  thirst." 

"  You  spoke  with  him,  Antoinette?  "  I  asked 
in  surprise. 

"  Yes,  Jack,  and  he  bade  me,  as  I  held  him 
dear  as  my  father  and  feared  my  God,  to  stand 
firm;  to  take  my  life  if  need  be  by  any  means 
that  lay  in  my  power,  rather  than  become  the 
wife  of  a  Spaniard,"  she  replied,  and  I  thought 
she  clung  more  closely  to  me.  "  Had  he  not 
so  laid  his  commands  on  me,  Jack,  I  doubt  if  I 
could  have  stood  my  ground.  He  is  in  the  dun 
geon  of  the  fort,"  she  said,  speaking  once  more 
directly  to  Lumulgee.  "  I  can  lead  you  to  the 
very  cell." 

"  The  war-chief  of  the  Choctaws  knows 
well  that  dungeon,"  he  assured  her  with  grave 
courtesy.  "  He,  with  his  braves,  will  go  to  the 
rescue  of  the  great  white  chief  and  with  him 
will  meet  Captain  Middleton  and  his  friends 
beyond  the  gate  in  the  forest  where  barked  the 
fox  at  the  setting  of  the  last  moon." 

Then  we  held  council,  Jonathan  Blake, 
Acuera,  the  great  war-chief  and  I.  It  was 
decided  that  I,  with  the  Coosaw  and  the  young 
Englishman — under  the  guidance  of  the  Indian 
who  had  entered  the  room  with  Lumulgee — 
was  to  hurry  with  the  three  women  to  the  gate, 
making  the  greatest  possible  speed.  Once 

120 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 


and  there  await  our  friends.  Lumulgee  was  to 
leave  with  Master  Bernard  Schinking  my  com 
mands  that  he  with  my  soldiers  and  such  of 
the  Choctaws  as  the  war-chief  could  spare, 
should  hold  the  Spaniards  in  check  or  lead  them 
about  the  city,  moving  always  towards  the  gate 
but  keeping  well  away  from  the  fort,  until  hear 
ing  the  signal  of  the  war-chief.  Then  should 
they  make  directly  for  the  gate,  while  the 
war-chief  was  to  take  such  of  his  braves  as  he 
chose  and  going  to  the  dungeon  was  to  break 
down  the  newly-built  walls  and  bring  out 
Colonel  Huguenin ;  then,  sounding  the  "  Come 
to  me,"  of  his  nation  he  would  hasten  to  the 
gate  and  there,  joined  by  Master  Schinking, 
they  would  together  leave  the  city  and  march 
to  us  in  the  forest. 

Such  were  the  plans  mapped  out,  and  no 
sooner  were  they  decided  upon  than  we  set 
about  doing  them.  On  our  way  to  the  secret 
passage,  by  which  the  women  were  to  be  con 
ducted  from  the  palace',  we  entered  the  great 
room  where  we  had  found  the  Governor,  but  I 
noticed  that  the  Spaniard  whom  I  had  left 
dying  at  my  feet,  run  through  by  my  sword, 
was  no  longer  among  the  dead  men  who  lay 
upon  the  floor.  I  pointed  to  the  spot  where  he 
had  fallen. 

121 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

"  Was  it  you  who  moved  the  body  of  the 
Spaniard,  the  nephew  of  the  Governor,  Lumul- 
gee?  "  I  asked. 

The  Indian  chief  made  a  sign  of  negation, 
then  seizing  one  of  the  torches  that  lighted  the 
room,  and  wrenching  it  from  its  bracket,  he 
pressed  open  the  panel  door  and  looked  closely 
at  the  floor  just  within  the  passage. 

"  Captain  Middleton  will  have  need  to  walk 
with  drawn  sword  and  keen  eyes,"  he  said, 
straightening  up  and  motioning  towards  the 
dark  doorway.  "  His  enemy  has  gone  before 
him  into  the  secret  way,  of  which  he  knows  all 
the  dark  turnings,  and  he  went  not  unarmed." 

We  left  the  war-chief  and  moved  forward, 
guided  by  his  brave.  The  last  sound  from  the 
outer  world  that  fell  upon  my  ear  as  the  inner 
door  of  that  dark  way  closed  upon  us  was  the 
call  of  the  chief  to  his  warriors  in  the  palace, 
and  the  first  sound  that  reached  me  as  the  steps 
at  the  other  end  were  lifted  was  the  same  call, 
uttered  by  the  same  voice,  and  without  the  pal 
ace  walls.  We  tarried  not  to  push  the  stairs  in 
place  nor  to  close  the  outer  door,  but  went 
swiftly  forward — our  guide  leading;  I,  with 
Antoinette's  hand  clasped  firmly  in  mine,  fol 
lowed  closely  behind;  then  came  Jonathan 
Blake  with  his  sister,  and,  last,  Acuera  with  the 

122 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

old  black  woman  whom  he  allowed  scant  time 
for  breathing. 

We  turned  down  a  narrow  street  towards  the 
gate.  The  street  was  so  dark  and  rough  that  it 
was  impossible  for  us  to  make  any  great  speed. 
From  the  houses  on  both  sides  could  be  heard 
the  terrified  cries  and  groans  of  the  inmates. 
From  time  to  time  the  street  would  be  choked 
with  people,  men,  women  and  children,  often 
with  some  few  of  their  household  treasures  has 
tily  snatched  up,  and  all  fleeing  to  the  fort.  They 
passed  us,  sometimes  pressing  us  along  with 
them,  but  never  recognizing  us  as  the  enemies 
from  whom  they  fled,  so  dark  was  the  street 
and  so  great  was  their  haste.  We  had  but  just 
disentangled  ourselves  from  a  party  of  these 
terrified  fugitives  and  turned  into  a  still  nar 
rower  street  that  led  more  directly  to  the  gate, 
when  the  flare  of  a  torch  lighted  the  street  in 
front  of  us.  The  man  who  bore  it  ran  back 
shouting  some  signal.  Other  lights  flashed  out 
and  showed  me  the  street  filled  with  Spanish 
soldiers.  I  threw  my  arms  about  Antoinette, 
and  shouting  to  those  who  followed  me,  turned 
to  flee  in  the  direction  from  which  we  had  come, 
only  to  find  myself  faced  by  a  crowd  equally  as 
great  and  well  armed. 

"  Your  weapons,  men !  "  I  cried.    "  Push  the 

123 


WHEN  the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

women  behind  you.  We  can  at  least  send  some 
of  the  wretches  to  death  before  they  reach  us." 
With  our  backs  to  the  wall  we  waited  their 
coming.  Like  a  troop  of  demons  they  came 
whirling  upon  us.  As  a  creature  possessed  I 
fought,  cut,  slashed  and  defended.  I  thought 
only  of  the  girl  behind  me  and  that  each  of  the 
fighting  devils  sought  to  get  her  in  his  power. 
If  I  was  wounded,  I  felt  not  the  sting,  but 
fought  on,  conscious  only  of  the  call  which  the 
Indian  at  my  side  gave  forth  more  than  once 
and  a  mighty  longing  to  hear  him  answered. 
As  I  fought  there  seemed  to  rise  among  that 
surging  mass  of  fighting  furies  the  face  of  the 
man  whom  I  had  seen  lying  at  my  feet  in  the 
great  room  of  the  palace,  pierced  through  by 
my  sword.  He  came,  and  others  with  him,  in 
one  mighty  rush  forward.  I  felt  the  weight  of 
the  Indian  at  my  side  as  he  sank  down  against 
me;  I  saw  Jonathan  Blake  fall  dead  at  his 
sister's  feet;  I  heard  Antoinette's  agonized 
voice  call  my  name.  Then,  all  the  worlds  of 
the  universe  seemed  to  fall  on  my  head  and 
crush  me  to  the  earth. 


124 


"  /  thought  only  of  the  girl  behind  me." 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 


1  AWOKE  into  a  world  in  which  there  was 
neither  light  nor  sound.  I  lay  on  my 
back  perfectly  motionless,  my  arms  at 
my  side,  staring  up  into  the  darkness,  conscious 
only  of  my  breathing  and  of  winking  my  eyes. 
Then  I  began  to  think,  and  the  events  of  our 
march  and  of  our  entrance  into  Augustine  came 
into  my  mind  like  a  mighty  rabble  of  fantastic 
ghosts  crowding  one  upon  the  heels  of  the  other. 
I  remembered  the  secret  passage,  our  rush  into 
the  Governor's  great  room,  Lumulgee's  blood- 
song,  the  evil  expression  on  my  enemy's  hand 
some  face.  Antoinette's  glad  cry, — again  I  seem 
to  hold  her  in  my  arms  and  my  breath  came  in 
quick,  hot  gasps.  I  recalled  our  flight  through 
the  city,  the  glare  of  the  torches,  the  Spanish 
soldiers,  our  fight, — four  men  against  an  hun 
dred — and  the  blow  that  crushed  in  my  skull. 
A  flash  of  terror  came  into  my  thoughts  and  I 
stretched  out  my  hands;  then  I  dropped  them  to 
my  side  with  a  sigh  of  relief.  I  was  in  some 
place  larger  than  my  grave. 

125 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

I  became  conscious  of  the  hard  rough  surface 
on  which  I  lay  and  attempted  to  rise  only  to 
sink  back  with  a  mighty  throbbing  in  my  head 
and  the  knowledge  that  my  feet  were  fettered. 
I  knew  that  I  was  in  a  Spanish  prison  and  the 
darkness  and  the  damp  caused  me  to  think  of 
Lumulgee's  description  of  the  dungeon  that  the 
secret  passage  so  nearly  encircled.  Then  came 
a  memory  of  the  vault-like  cell  in  which  An 
toinette  had  seen  her  father  walled  up  and  left 
to  die  of  thirst  and  starvation.  Perhaps  such 
an  end  was  reserved  for  me.  At  first  the 
thought  produced  no  sensation  on  my  dulled 
brain,  but  gradually  as  the  pain  of  the  throb 
bing  became  less  intense  the  horrible  torture  of 
such  a  death  forced  itself  on  me.  My  mind 
cleared  and  I  determined  to  touch  the  confines 
of  my  prison-house,  and  by  them,  if  possible, 
judge  what  fate  had  designed  for  me. 

Again  I  attempted  to  rise,  only  to  sink 
back  with  the  feeling  that  all  the  worlds  of 
the  universe  were  revolving  and  throbbing 
in  my  head.  I  pressed  my  hands  over  my 
brow  and  felt  of  my  hair,  damp  and  blood- 
clotted  from  the  wounds  on  my  head.  The 
touch  of  my  fingers  cooled  my  brain  and  at 
last  by  one  movement  at  a  time — between 
whiles  pressing  against  my  throbbing  head  my 
hands,  chilled  by  their  contact  with  the  cold, 

126 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

damp  stones — I  dragged  myself  forward  and 
touched  the  walls  of  my  dungeon.  It  was  of 
masonry  as  rough  as  the  floor  on  which  I  lay, 
and  as  damp.  I  crept  along  the  wall  until  I  dis 
covered  that  it  was  of  a  size  many  times  larger 
than  a  cell  and  of  a  shape  other  than  rounding, 
for  the  corners  were  square. 

Exhausted  I  sank  down,  resting  against  the 
wall,  and  at  a  considerable  distance  from  the 
spot  from  which  I  had  dragged  myself.  The 
room  seemed  filled  with  myriads  of  stars.  They 
floated  around  me  sparkling  and  in  all  the  col 
ors  of  the  rainbow.  I  pressed  my  ringers  over 
my  eyes,  then,  removing  them,  I  tried  to  see 
something  besides  the  darkness  and  those  ever- 
changing,  floating,  sparkling  lights.  Suddenly 
a  thought  came  to  me  that  was  like  a  knife 
thrust —  a  knife  thrust  into  the  very  core  of  my 
heart.  I  \vas  not  deaf,  for  I  could  hear  the 
clanking  of  the  chains  on  my  feet,  the  beating 
of  my  heart  and  my  own  breathing;  but  I  was 
• — blind.  Great  God!  blind.  Made  sightless 
by  the  blow  on  my  head.  With  the  despair  of  a 
lost  soul  I  threw  myself  face  down  cm  the  rough 
floor,  heeding  neither  its  dampness  nor  the 
noisome  things  that  crawled  over  it.  How 
long  I  lay  there  with  that  black  despair  grip 
ping  my  heart  or  the  terrible  thoughts  that 
passed  through  my  reeling  brain,  God  in 

127 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

Heaven  only  knows.  But  when  at  last  I  turned 
my  face  upwards  and  lifted  my  eye-lids  the 
same  stars  appeared,  always  floating,  always 
changing,  mocking  my  sightlessness  with  their 
brilliance.  At  length  I  grew  more  calm  and 
my  mind  was  filled  with  thoughts  of  Antoi 
nette,  Lumulgee,  the  men  who  followed  me; 
what  had  been  their  fate?  Of  Jonathan  Blake 
and  the  Indian  who  fought  at  my  side  I  knew. 
I  had  seen  the  sword  enter  the  heart  of  one;  I 
had  felt  the  weight  of  the  other  as  he  sank  dy 
ing  at 

That  white  star  over  there  to  my  left,  how 
steady  it  was.  It  neither  mocked  me  by  its  bril 
liance  nor  by  floating  about  in  dizzy  circles 
around  my  head.  As  I  looked,  the  other  bril 
liant,  mocking  stars  floated  away  and  disap 
peared.  Again  I  pressed  my  fingers  over  my 
eyes,  and  from  the  bitter  depths  of  my  heart 
prayed  to  Him  who  had  suffered  death,  cruci 
fied.  I  looked  and — laughed  aloud;  I  sat  up, 
unmindful  of  the  throbbing  in  my  head;  I 
clapped  my  hands  from  very  joy  like  a  happy 
child.  For  it  was  there  still — that  ray  of  light 
streaming  through  a  chink  in  my  dungeon  wall, 
and  I  was  not  blind. 

I  know  not  how  long  a  time  I  sat  there,  nor 
what  were  the  thoughts  that  crowded  them 
selves  one  after  the  other  across  the  mirror  of 

128 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

my  mind  before,  overpowered  by  fatigue,  I  sank 
down  upon  the  rough  floor  and  fell  asleep.  I  was 
waked  by  the  light  of  a  torch  flashed  against 
my  eyes.  It  was  my  gaoler,  come  to  bring  me 
food  and  drink  and  to  look  at  my  wounded  head 
and  to  the  security  of  my  fetters.  I  spoke  to 
him  in  French,  asking  of  my  imprisonment  and 
the  length  of  time  that  I  had  been  there.  He  an 
swered  me  with  a  curse,  in  a  hoarse  voice  that 
suited  well  his  villainous  face,  and  after  again 
flashing  the  torch  before  my  eyes  he  went  out, 
closing  the  heavy  door  behind  him.  I  heard  the 
bolts  drop  into  place,  then  I  turned  to  the  food 
and  drink  that  he  had  placed  at  my  side.  The 
hard,  mouldy  crusts  I  could  not  eat,  but  the 
water  to  my  burning  lips  and  parched  throat 
was  sweeter  than  any  wine  I  had  ever  drunk.  I 
drank  it  sparingly,  saving  some  little  to  moisten 
a  part  of  my  shirt  that  I  tore  off  and  with  which 
I  laved  my  wounded  head.  I  fell  asleep,  and 
waked  and  slept  again,  for  I  knew  not  how 
long.  Sometimes  the  light  shone  through  the 
crack  in  the  wall  and  sometimes  all  was  dark 
ness.  My  gaoler's  visits  became  more  frequent, 
and  some  days  I  was  given  good  wine  as  well  as 
water  and  my  food  improved  both  in  quality 
and  quantity.  On  each  occasion,  though,  he 
took  good  care  to  examine  my  fetters  and  to 
look  narrowly  about  the  floor  and  the  walls  as 

129 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

though  expecting  me  to  make  some  effort  to 
escape;  but  he  never  spoke  or,  by  any  sign, 
showed  that  he  heard  my  questions.  With  no 
other  application  than  water  and  wine,  when  I 
had  it,  my  wounds  began  to  heal  and  my  head 
pained  me  no  longer  when  I  sat  up  or  walked 
around  my  dungeon  examining  the  walls  and 
floor  with  my  fingers. 

I  was  so  occupied  when  I  heard  the  bolts 
shot  back.  The  door  opened,  there  was  a  sud 
den  flare  of  torches  and  four  guards  entered. 
A  man  with  a  brutal,  weather-beaten  face — 
their  officer  I  knew  from  his  uniform — fol 
lowed  them,  lantern  in  hand,  and  turned  the 
light  full  upon  me.  For  full  two  minutes  he 
stood  there  staring  at  me,  his  hand  upon  his 
sword. 

"  I  bear  a  message  from  the  Governor  of 
Florida.  Will  Captain  Middleton  signify  when 
he  will  hear  it  ?  "  He  spoke  English,  but  in 
the  formal  style  of  his  own  nation,  and  there 
was  an  insolence  in  his  voice  and  manner  that 
belied  the  courtesy  of  his  words. 

"  I  am  a  prisoner,"  I  replied,  speaking  with 
what  firmness  I  was  able  to  command.  "  I  am 
forced  to  receive  the  Governor  of  Augustine's 
message  in  any  place  or  at  any  time  that  he  may 
choose  to  send  it.  Do  you  come  to  lead  me  to 
my  death?  " 

130 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

"  I  come  to  offer  you  freedom,"  he  replied, 
regarding  me  so  narrowly  that  I  knew  that  he 
lied. 

"At  what  price?"  I  demanded  coldly, 
though  my  heart  leaped  at  the  very  sound  of 
the  word. 

"  That  you  act  as  guide  to  the  stronghold  of 
the  Choctaw  Indians,"  he  answered.  "  The 
young  Governor  of  Augustine  would  seek  out 
their  war-chief  and  avenge  the  death  of  his 
uncle." 

"  And  rob  their  temple,"  I  could  have  an 
swered  with  all  truth,  but  did  not.  Instead,  I 
asked  calmly  enough,  "  And  the  alternative  if 
I  refuse?  " 

"  Death  by  any  means  that  the  Governor  may 
choose,"  he  answered,  with  a  fiendish  leer. 

"  At  such  a  price  I  refuse  to  buy  my  freedom. 
You  may  so  inform  your  Governor,  and  tell 
him  that  I  am  ready  for  his  torture." 

f'  He  gives  you  until  to-morrow  to  think. 
At  this  hour  I  will  come  to  lead  you  forth  to 
freedom  if  you  are  wise,  to  death  if  you  still 
refuse." 

"  You  need  not  wait,"  I  told  him.  "  My 
answer  to-day  will  be  my  answer  to-morrow, 
or  a  month,  a  year,  aye,  verily,  a  life  time  hence. 
The  Choctaws  are  my  friends;  I  will  never  be 
tray  them." 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    YOUNG 

"  I  will  inform  the  Governor  of  your  de 
cision,"  he  replied,  formally,  and  sweeping  me 
a  bow  of  mocking  deference  he  passed  through 
the  door,  his  guards  following  him. 

I  saw  no  more  of  my  gaoler.  All  that  day 
and  the  next,  until  the  hour  appointed,  I  fasted. 
When  that  time  arrived  the  same  officer  made 
his  appearance  with  ten  instead  of  four  of  his 
Spanish  guards.  He  spoke  not  a  word,  but, 
motioning  towards  me,  two  of  his  men  stepped 
forward  and  clapped  irons  upon  my  wrists. 
Thus  fettered,  hands  and  feet,  and  walking 
among  them,  I  left  the  damp,  dark  hole  where  I 
had  spent  so  many  weary,  suffering  hours,  and 
walked  through  dark  and  narrow  passages,  up 
steps,  through  more  passages  and  up  more  steps 
until  at  length  I  was  brought  into  the  presence 
of  his  Honor  the  Governor  of  Augustine.  He 
sat  in  a  gilded  chair  on  a  raised  platform  sur 
rounded  by  guards.  Other  men,  whom  I  knew 
to  be  dignitaries  from  the  gold  lace  and  the 
sparkling  gems  that  bedecked  their  rich  clothes, 
sat  with  him  in  the  great  hall.  I  judged  that  I 
was  in  the  tribunal  room  of  the  fort  where  the 
Governor  of  Florida  and  his  council  sat  in 
judgment  on  their  enemies  and  ofttimes,  when 
their  humor  suited,  if  report  lied  not,  witnessed 
and  directed  the  tortures. 

Brought  to  the  foot  of  the  dais,  I  raised  my 

132 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOTING 

eyes  and  faced  him  who  sat  in  the  chair  of 
honor.  It  was  mine  enemy,  the  young  Spanish 
Apollo  whom  I  had  run  through  with  my  sword 
and  left  for  dead  in  the  great  room  of  the  Gov 
ernor's  palace.  His  eyes  met  mine  with  a 
malignant  hatred  glittering  in  their  velvety 
depths  that  made  me  know  that  my  hour  of 
judgment  would  be  as  bitter  as  a  devil's  brain 
could  plan  and  human  hands  execute.  He  was 
thinner  than  when  I  had  first  seen  him  and 
ghastly  white,  and  the  knowledge  that  the 
wound  that  I  had  given  him  was  no  pin  prick 
caused  me  to  meet  his  gaze  with  bold  eyes  and 
lips  that  almost  smiled. 

"  I  have  sent  for  you,  Captain  Middleton, 
again  to  offer  you  your  freedom,  and  to  hear 
from  your  own  lips  your  decision,"  he  said  in 
musical  French,  waving  towards  me  a  hand  as 
white  and  shapely  as  any  woman's  and  flashing 
with  sparkling  gems. 

Then  he  repeated  his  offer,  making  the  con 
ditions  that  his  officer  of  the  guards  had  named. 
It  was  Lumulgee  they  wanted.  The  Indian 
who  had  entered  Augustine  and  with  his  band 
of  painted  savages,  assisted  by  a  handful  of 
English,  murdered  the  Governor,  killed  five 
hundred  people,  torn  down  the  walls  of  the  dun 
geon  and  led  forth  out  of  the  city,  into  the  for 
est  beyond  their  reach,  the  prisoners.  They 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

sought  revenge  against  the  great  war-chief  and 
his  nation  in  the  name  of  his  Gracious  Majesty 
the  King  of  Spain,  and  in  his  name  offered  me 
my  freedom  if  I  would  lead  his  army  over  the 
route  that  we  had  passed  and  in  sight  of  the 
great  Indian  village.  When  I  made  no  answer, 
hoping  to  gain  further  tidings  of  my  friends  by 
silence,  the  old  Spaniard  who  sat  at  the  right 
hand  of  him  who  filled  the  Governor's  chair 
leaned  forward  and  spoke. 

"  Captain  Middleton,  you  will  not  only  be 
forgiven  your  own  act  of  taking  up  arms  against 
Augustine  at  a  time  when  our  two  countries 
enjoy  a  season  of  peace,  blessed  by  the  brotherly 
love  of  our  two  royal  masters,  but  a  pardon  will 
also  be  granted  to  all  those  who  followed  you 
from  Charleston.  And  such  an  indemnity  as 
shall  be  agreed  upon  by  their  most  Gracious 
Majesties  of  England  and  Spain  will  be  paid  to 
you  and  Colonel  Huguenin  for  your  capture 
and  imprisonment  by  our  Indian  allies,  the 
Yemassees,  though  they  went  not  at  our 
bidding." 

"  Mademoiselle  Huguenin,  Mistress  More- 
ton,  and  our  slaves?  "  I  asked. 

'  That  also  was  a  mistake,"  he  assured  me 
with  such  an  appearance  of  sincerity  that  had  I 
not  received  particulars  of  their  capture  and 

134 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

known  him  to  be  a  Spaniard,  I  would  have  be 
lieved  that  he  spoke  the  truth.  "  Mistress 
Moreton  and  the  slaves  will  be  returned  and 
such  moneys  paid  for  their  capture  and  deten 
tion  as  their  Majesties  shall  decide." 

"And  Mademoiselle  Huguenin?"  I  de 
manded,  letting  him  know  that  I  had  noticed 
the  omission  of  her  name. 

The  face  of  mine  enemy  flamed  blood  red. 

"  Mademoiselle  Huguenin  is  the  loyal  sub 
ject  of  His  Majesty  the  King  of  France,"  he 
replied.  "  At  her  desire  I  have  sent  a  messen 
ger  to  the  French  court  praying  her  hand  in 
honorable  marriage  of  King  Louis.  She  goes 
no  more  to  Charleston.  I  am  weary  of  your 
questioning  and  would  have  your  answer  un 
less  you  would  return  to  your  dungeon  and 
there,  fasting  another  day,  make  up  your 
mind." 

"  My  lord,"  I  answered,  looking  him  boldly 
in  the  eyes  and  smiling,  "  though  I  feasted 
or  fasted  twenty  years  my  answer  would  be  the 
same.  Though  you  could  give  me  an  hundred 
lives  and  all  the  wealth  of  your  King,  both  in 
Spain  and  in  the  Indies,  double  ten  times  over, 
I  would  not  do  the  deed  you  ask  of  me.  I  have 
faced  death  many  a  time  and  I  know  that  to  the 
prisoners  and  enemies  of  Spain  he  often  comes 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

in  tortures  most  terrible ;  still  it  is  only  death- 
naught  else.  My  lord,  I  am  your  enemy  and 
your  prisoner;  do  your  worst." 

He  glared  at  me  with  a  hatred  so  great  that 
the  beauty  of  his  face  disappeared  and  he  looked 
an  imp  from  hell. 

"  Go !  drag  in  the  cage,"  he  cried,  flinging  up 
his  hand  in  a  gesture  of  imperious  command  to 
the  officer  who  had  brought  me  in. 

He  went,  and  soon  hearing  the  noise  of  lum 
bering  wheels  I  turned  and  saw — dragged  on  a 
heavy  wooden  cart — that  instrument  of  death 
about  whose  tortures  I  had  heard  reports  most 
terrible.  It  was  the  iron  cage  of  Augustine. 
They  slid  it  off  the  cart,  and  when  it  stood  up 
right  it  appeared  an  iron  coffin  built  for  a  man 
both  broad  and  tall.  With  curses  they  thrust 
me  into  it — my  back  against  its  solid  bottom. 
They  screwed  down  my  arms  at  wrists  and 
elbows ;  fastened  the  collar  about  my  throat ;  the 
bars  across  my  body;  and  then,  shoving  it  back 
to  its  wooden  wheels,  they  dragged  it  out — out 
of  the  tribunal  room,  out  of  the  cool  dusk  of  the 
long  passageway  with  its  tall  vaulted  roof,  out 
on  the  sea-wall  and  under  sun-rays  so  intense 
that  even  my  closed  lids  could  not  shut  out  the 
glare  that  burned  into  my  eye-balls  with  a  pain 
as  terrible  as  molten  lead.  I  pulled  at  my  arms ; 
I  strove  to  turn  my  head,  so  deadened  by  the 

136 


"  Pull  in  the  face  she  struck  him  who  hadhung  me  there" 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

torture  of  the  pain  in  my  eyes  that  I  was  not 
conscious  of  the  sharpness  of  my  fetters  and  the 
deep  cuts  they  made  in  my  flesh.  It  was  to  no 
avail.  On  they  dragged  me,  while,  faint  as  the 
dream  of  an  echo,  there  came  to  my  reeling 
brain  the  exultant  shouts  of  the  people,  the 
curses  of  the  soldiers  and  the  clank  of  the  iron 
chains  as  they  hoisted  me  up  and  I  swung  out 
over  the  gate  of  the  city.  Deep  down  in  my 
throat  I  thanked  God  that  I  stood  once  more 
on  my  feet  and  that  my  eyes  looked  not  into 
the  sun. 

The  torture  of  the  glare  becoming  less  in 
tense,  I  opened  my  eyes  and  saw  the  jeering 
faces  of  the  people  who  crowded  on  the  sea 
wall  mocking  me.  I  heard  their  taunting  shouts 
and  curses;  I  heard  the  noise  of  the  city  below 
and  the  roar  of  the  waves  outside;  but,  over 
and  above  it  all,  I  was  conscious  of  the 
terrible  heat  of  the  sun  beating  down  upon 
my  iron  coffin,  and  the  horrible  thirst  that 
tormented  me.  The  people  mocked  on;  they 
threw  sticks  and  stones;  they  hissed  and  spat 
at  me.  I  heeded  them  not  but  tugged  at  my 
arms  until  the  sharp  fetters  cut  deep  into  my 
flesh  and  I  could  feel  the  blood  trickle  down  my 
hand  and  drop  off  my  fingers,  until  I  longed  to 
be  a  dog  that  I  might  lap  my  own  blood.  Then 
my  eyes  closed  and  darkness  slipped  down  over 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

me,  blotting  it  all  out.  When  next  I  looked  the 
sun  was  low  in  the  heavens,  my  cage  had  swung 
around  towards  the  sea,  and  the  salt  breeze 
fanned  me,  cooling  both  body  and  brain.  I 
watched  the  sun  sink  out  of  sight;  I  saw  the 
shimmer  of  moonlight  far  out  at  sea. 

The  city  slept  and  the  noises  of  the  forest 
and  the  lap  of  the  waves  on  the  shore  came 
to  me  soothingly.  Again  the  darkness  came 
down  and  I  knew  no  more  until  the  sun  rode 
high  in  the  heavens  and  beat  down  upon  me 
with  a  heat  and  brilliancy  that  made  the  whole 
world  a  fiery  furnace.  My  tongue  was  parched 
and  swollen;  myriads  of  gnats  and  small  flies 
swarmed  around  my  face,  stinging  and  biting 
me.  I  prayed  for  death  and  dreamed  it  came. 
My  dream  ended  and  I  knew  that  it  rained. 
Big,  beautiful  crystal  drops  fell  and  clung  to  the 
bars  that  held  me.  I  twisted  my  head,  put  out 
my  tongue  and  tried  to  touch  them,  but  could 
not.  My  fetters  cut  deep  into  my  sore  and 
swollen  flesh,  and  once  more  darkness  covered 
it  all. 

I  floated,  floated,  floated,  while  thousands  of 
glad,  bright  faces  smiled  upon  me.  My  mother, 
my  sisters,  all  the  friends  that  I  had  ever  known, 
both  in  the  old  world  and  the  new,  were  around 
me.  Mistress  Moreton?  Yes,  Mistress  More- 
ton,  white- faced  and  terrified,  and  Marcie,  with 

138 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

great  round  eyes,  in  which  there  was  only  ter 
ror;  my  enemy,  with  hatred  in  his  eyes  and  a 
mocking  smile  on  his  lips ;  Antoinette 

It  was  the  sight  of  her  face  that  aroused  me. 
The  three  walked  on  the  sea-wall  with  the 
Spaniard.  Antoinette's  face  was  ghost-white 
as  she  gazed  at  me.  The  little  spark  of  life  left 
in  my  body  flared  up  as  my  eyes  met  hers.  She 
called  my  name.  Then  the  blood  flamed  red  in 
her  cheeks  and  she  turned  and,  full  in  the  face, 
she  struck  him  who  had  hung  me  there. 

Again  I  thought  I  died.  Soft  fingers  played 
with  my  hair,  caressed  my  cheeks.  As  a  dream 
remembered  in  a  dream  came  the  thoughts  of 
my  past  life  and  those  whom  I  held  dear.  I 
was  in  England,  in  Charleston,  in  mine  own 
house,  with  my  mother,  with  Antoinette — I 
opened  my  eyes.  It  was  the  mist,  the  blessed 
mist.  What  the  rain  would  not  do  it  had  done. 
My  clothes  were  saturated,  the  thirsty  pores  of 
my  skin  had  drunk  their  fill.  It  had  crept  be 
tween  my  lips,  and  my  swollen  tongue  was  no 
longer  parched.  I  felt  a  dreamy  happiness  and 
looked  out  over  the  shrouded  city  with  a  smile 
on  my  lips.  Lights  came  to  me  dimly,  and 
figures  of  men  pressed  around  me  like  shadows. 
As  echoes,  far  distant  echoes,  the  sound  of 
voices  came  to  me.  I  heard  the  clank  of  the 
chains  and  felt  the  sway  of  the  cage.  Some 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

one  spoke  to  me, — spoke  English.  They 
touched  me  with  friendly  hands,  broke  the  fet 
ters  that  bound  me  and  lifted  me  out  of  that 
iron  coffin. 


140 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TO  UNO 


«"P)ULLY  BOY;  bully  boy!  Yes,  it's 
beauty  that  wins  the  race,  my  boy," 
were  the  words  that  struck  my  ears. 
"  First  came  the  English  giant  that  we  picked 
from  the  Spanish  galleon  off  Panama — made 
him  mate,  all  on  account  of  his  smooth  face 
and  big  limbs,  yes,  mate  of  the  gallant  ship 
York.  Now  comes  this  little  French  count; 
not  so  tall  as  you,  Sim,  by  half  an  hand-breadth 
— not  by  a  whole  hand-breadth — yea,  verily,  not 
by  two  hand-breadths,  man.  Shorter  by  two 
whole  hand-breadths,  I  say,  Sim,  my  man. 
Remember  he's  not  so  tall  as  you  by  three  hand- 
breadths,  Sim  Taviss,  my  bully  boy.  But,  be 
cause  of  his  red  cheeks  and  flowing  locks  he's 
the  very  cock-o-the-walk.  Struts  over  the  deck, 
keeps  his  women  to  himself  so  that  better  men 
may  not  even  look  at  them,  orders  us  all  about 
— yes,  I  say  it — orders  the  last  man  jack  on 
board,  the  mate,  the  Cap'n, — even  you,  Sim 
Taviss,  even  you,"  the  voice  went  on  as  though 
striving  to  mollify  some  angry  man  while  at 

141 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

the  same  time  acknowledging  the  justice  of  his 
wrath. 

I  felt  the  motion  of  the  ship;  I  heard  the 
swish  of  the  water,  the  noise  and  the  voices  of 
the  men  on  deck.  Cautiously  I  opened  my  eyes 
to  judge  where  I  was  and  to  see  what  manner 
of  men  they  were  who  conversed  so  near  me. 
I  was  lying  on  a  bunk  in  the  forecastle  and  in 
the  half  light  could  see  but  one  man.  His  back 
•was  towards  me  and  he  busied  himself  with 
some  garment  that  he  held  on  his  knees.  His 
shoulders  wrere  narrow  and  stooping,  and  his 
long,  pear-shaped  head  was  covered  with  lanky 
red  or  sandy  hair.  More  I  could  not  distin 
guish,  but  lying  still  and  listening  after  a  time 
I  discovered  that  he  was  speaking  to  himself. 
His  voice  was  soft,  with  something  of  the  ca 
dence  of  childhood  in  it  despite  the  indignation 
of  its  tone.  Without  moving,  I  \vatched  him 
cautiously,  listening. 

"  Fine  feathers  make  fine  birds,  Simeon,"  he 
went  on.  "  You  learned  that  of  wise  Master 
Hezekiah  Toole,  wrho  beat  you  sorely  striving 
to  get  some  of  his  wisdom  into  your  dull  brain. 
But  what  is  wisdom,  lad?  Nothing,  nothing. 
It  doesn't  count  a  feather's  weight  in  helping  a 
man  along  in  the  world.  Consider  Master 
Hezekiah  with  all  the  languages  of  the  world 
dropping  from  his  tongue's  end,  then  consider 

142 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

yourself.  He  is  but  the  master  in  the  school  of 
a  dirty  village,  doomed  all  his  life  to  nod  over  a 
desk  where  his  blockhead  scholars  drone  out 
their  lessons,  while  you,  man,  you,  are  first 
kitchen  boy  to  the  gallant  ship  York  and  soon 
to  be  head  cook,  surgeon,  mayhap  mate  so  soon 
as  you  can  make  the  English  lout  to  swallow 
some  white  powder  which  you  will  know  about 
when  you  can  get  your  hands  on  the  surgeon's 
great  books.  Yes,  it  is  beauty  that  wins  the 
race  as  I  shall  presently  show  you,  Sim  Taviss. 
Beauty  and  wit,  my  boy,  both  of  which  you 
have  in  plenty." 

Here  he  left  off  work  and,  rising,  threw  about 
his  shoulders  a  woman's  cloak  of  faded  blue 
velvet  lined  with  yellow.  He  was  scarce  above 
four  and  a  half  feet  tall,  with  large  splay  feet 
and  wondrously  lean  shanks.  He  turned  and 
twisted,  prinking  himself  before  a  broken  glass 
that  he  held — now  taking  in  one  section,  then 
another  of  his  small  person. 

"  Now  for  the  shoes,  lad,  now  for  the  shoes," 
and  he  began  busily  removing  his  shoes  and 
hammering  on  to  the  heels  tapering  wedges  of 
wood.  These  he  smeared  with  red  paint  and 
shoving  his  misshapen  feet  back  into  them, 
stood  his  mirror  on  the  floor  and  surveyed  the 
result  with  exclamations,  of  delight. 

"  Such  feet,  such  legs,  Sim,"  lie  said.    "  All 

'43 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

they  needed  was  the  proper  dressing  to  make 
them  the  handsomest  this  side  of  Whitehall. 
You  are  the  very  devil  for  beauty,  my  boy,  the 
very  devil  for  beauty.  Now  for  the  scent  on 
your  hair  and  the  red  paint  on  your  cheeks,  and 
the  gallant  hat  with  its  long  drooping  feather. 
You  will  take  the  wind  out  of  all  their  sails, 
for  the  Captain  will  not  be  able  to  take  his  eyes 
off  thee,  thou  strutting,  swaggering  devil  with 
thy  handsome  face  and  figure  and  thy  fine 
clothes." 

He  ran  his  dirty,  claw-like  fingers,  reeking 
with  oil,  through  his  hair,  and  rubbed  it  in  until 
it  was  several  shades  darker  and  dripping  with 
grease. 

"  Zooks !  man,  such  love-locks  and  such 
sweet  red  cheeks !  "  he  exclaimed,  plastering  the 
hair  on  the  top  and  the  sides  of  his  head  with 
vigorous  strokes,  and  daubing  on  his  cheeks  the 
remainder  of  the  paint  left  from  his  shoe  heels. 
Then  leaning  down,  he  drew  from  some  place 
I  could  not  see  a  broad  Spanish  hat  with  a 
draggled  plume,  and  clapped  it  on  his  head. 

"  What  will  he  say  to  you,  man,  when  you 
bring  him  his  first  dish  of  broth  ? "  he  ex 
claimed  in  a  very  ecstasy  of  admiration  puffing 
himself  out  and  gazing  into  his  cracked  bit  of 
mirror.  "  Will  he  call  thee  kitchen-boy?  Not 
he.  He  will  say  in  his  gallant,  commanding 

144 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

voice — and  loud — yes,  loud,  that  all  may  hear 
-'  Sit  thee  down,  Sirn  Taviss,  thou  handsome 
devil,  at  my  right  hand.  Sit  thee  down, 
mate' — yes,  he  will  call  thee  mate.  I  warrant 
he  will  call  thee  mate  this  very  day,  thou  lucky 
dog." 

Here  he  fronted  towards  me  and  I  nearly 
burst  out  laughing.  His  face  looked  as  though 
it  had  been  drawn  through  a  key-hole  first  up, 
then  down.  His  nose,  that  should  have  been 
long  and  hooked  at  the  end,  became  a  flat  and 
jaunty  pug,  while  the  outward  corners  of  both 
his  eyes  and  his  mouth  turned  up  after  trying 
in  vain  to  keep  their  downward  lines.  Indeed, 
all  of  his  features  appeared  to  have  been  planned 
on  a  long  and  lugubrious  model  but,  before 
completion,  by  some  mishap,  they  had  received 
an  upward  turn  which,  with  his  painted  cheeks 
and  faded  finery,  made  a  figure  that  was  ludi 
crous  beyond  anything  I  had  ever  gazed 
upon.  I  stared  at  him  with  wide  opened  eyes 
but  he  was  too  much  engrossed  with  admiring 
himself  to  notice  aught  else. 

"  By  my  faith !  Sim  Taviss,"  I  exclaimed, 
rising  on  my  elbow  and  gazing  at  him  admir 
ingly.  "  You  do  make  a  gallant  show."  He 
started  back  and  gazed  at  me  with  fear  written 
over  every  line  of  his  face  and  in  his  shallow 
blue  eyes.  "  A  gallant  show,  man.  And  I'll 

H5 


WHEN    the     LAND   was    TOUNG 

warrant  you  are  as  brave  a  gentle  as  ever  drew 
sword.  But  where  is  your  blade,  man ;  where's 
your  blade?  " 

He  drew  away  from  me,  shrinking  into  the 
farthest  corner. 

"  'Tis  not  fear  that  makes  you  shrink  from 
me,  man,"  I  continued,  sitting  up  and  looking 
at  him  encouragingly,  "  that  I'll  swear.  I  see 
your  courage  written  in  your  eyes,  and  know 
that  you  fear  no  man,  living  or  dead." 

He  still  gazed  at  me  as  though  seeing  in  me 
some  one  new  risen  from  the  dead. 

"Art  an  Englishman?"  I  asked  hoping  to 
cure  him  of  his  fear,  that  I  might  gain  some 
knowledge  of  my  condition. 

He  gave  assent  with  his  head  though  his 
tongue  spluttered  and  his  lips  refused  to  form 
words.  I  saw  that  he  strove  to  unfasten  the 
clasp  of  the  velvet  cloak  that  he  had  flung  over 
his  shoulders  and,  as  though  granting  permis 
sion  to  a  guest,  "  Yes,  take  it  off,  friend,"  I 
said.  "  'Tis  a  hot  day  though  I  have  lived  in 
hotter  places." 

He  nodded  his  head  knowingly. 
'  They  took  you  from  the  iron  cage  of  Au 
gustine,"    he    answered.      "  And    the    French 
count  said  that  you  had  hung  there  two  days." 

"  Why  did  they  take  me  down  ?  "  I  asked. 
The  giddiness  in  my  head  which  had  troubled 

146 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

me  when  I  first  sat  up  disappeared,  so  eager 
was  I  to  hear  his  answer. 

"  'Twas  his  humor,"  he  replied,  making  a 
deprecating  gesture  with  his  smutty  hands; 
"  and  therefore  the  Cap'n's  humor,  as  it  has 
been  ever  since  we  met  the  French  Count  in 
the  streets  of  Augustine  and  he  knocked  the 
sword  out  of  the  Cap'n's  hand.  The  Cap'n 
makes  every  man  on  board  do  his  bidding." 

"  How  came  you  to  meet  him  in  the  streets 
of  Augustine?"  I  asked,  puzzled  more  and 
more  by  the  things  that  he  told. 

"  We  boarded  the  merchant  ship  that  lay  in 
the  harbor,"  he  answered,  coming  out  of  the 
corner  into  which  he  had  shrunk.  "  And  when 
we  had  manned  her  and  sent  her  out  the 
Cap'n  swore  he'd  enter  the  city  and  bring 
out  the  treasure  from  the  palace.  We  climbed 
the  walls.  I  reached  the  top  first  and — " 

"  You !  "  I  exclaimed,  looking  at  the  little 
spit  of  a  man  in  amazement.  Then,  seeing  the 
shame  in  his  face  cover  the  braggart  in  his  eye, 
I  concealed  the  doubt  in  my  mind  with  a  know 
ing  laugh.  "  I'll  warrant  you  did,  Sim.  You 
were  the  first  to  reach  the  top  and  cut  down  a 
Spanish  Don." 

"  No,"  he  answered,  lack  of  imagination 
bringing  him  back  to  the  truth.  "  The  mist 
covered  the  harbor  and  the  city  so  thick  that 

H7 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

the  Spaniards  neither  saw  nor  heard  us.  We'd 
marched  half  the  distance  to  the  palace  when 
we  came  upon  the  French  Count  with  his  Eng 
lish  aunt  and  her  black  woman — 

"  In  the  streets  ?  "  I  cried,  amazed  at  hearing 
of  such  a  trio  walking  the  streets  of  Augustine 
at  an  hour  past  midnight,  though  I  had  begun 
to  realize  that  the  ship  captain  who  stole  into 
harbors  and  sent  away  merchantmen  and  then 
clambering  the  walls  of  the  city  to  rob  the 
palace  of  its  treasures,  held  doubtful  papers, 
and  was  like  to  meet  with  strange  adventures. 

'  Yes,  making  their  escape  from  the  Gover 
nor's  palace  where  they  had  been  held  prisoners 
ever  since  they  had  been  brought  captives  to 
the  city,  taken  by  a  Spanish  ship  on  their  way 
to  Charleston.  It's  a  fighting-cock  is  this  same 
little  Count,"  he  exclaimed,  forgetting  his  fear 
and  warmed  by  admiration  of  the  man  whom  he 
described.  "  When  we  came  upon  them  in  the 
streets,  did  he  run?  Not  he.  He  whipped  out 
his  sword  and,  like  a  very  devil,  attacked  the 
Cap'n  who  was  leading.  Beat  his  blade  up 
and  down,  then  out  of  his  hand  and  would 
have  run  him  through  the  body  had  I  not  run 
up  in  the  very  nick  of  time  with  drawn  sword, 
and  pistol  and  knife  held  ready  and  sent  his 
sword  whirling  against  the  wall  and  put  his 
men  to — " 

148 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

"  Whose  men  ?  "  I  exclaimed,  trying  to 
keep  up  with  the  fight  that  he  described  with 
so  much  enthusiasm. 

'  The  French  Count's  men.  He  had  near 
fif— " 

"  But  you  said  he  was  alone  with  his  Eng 
lish  aunt  and  her  serving  woman,"  I  told  him. 
Then  it  came  to  me  and  I  knew  the  quality  of 
his  metal.  "  Go  on,  go  on,"  I  cried.  "  What 
did  they  do  ?" 

"  He  said  to  the  Cap'n  as  grand  as  though 
he  was  the  king  himself,  '  Pick  up  your  sword, 
sir.  I  touch  not  an  unarmed  man.'  Hearing 
him  speak  good  English  the  Cap'n  demanded 
to  know  who  he  was  and  where  he  went  with 
his  women.  He  told  of  their  capture  and  their 
long  imprisonment  and  his  determination  to  es 
cape  from  the  city,  preferring  to  trust  to  the 
savages  and  the  beasts  of  the  forest  rather  than 
remain  longer  in  the  clutches  of  the  Spanish 
Governor.  Then  the  Cap'n,  for  the  sake  of  his 
English  tongue  and  his  good  sword,  offered  to 
take  them  safe  out  of  the  city  to  some  harbor 
where  they  could  ship  for  England  or  Charles 
ton.  '  Your  ship,  sir  ?  '  said  the  Count  to 
the  Cap'n,  looking  at  the  men  who  crowded 
up  the  street  before  him.  '  The  York,  one 
hundred  and  fifty  tons,  twenty-five  guns,  one 
hundred  and  seven  men,  and  Tom  Hawkins, 

149 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

Cap'n.'  '  Ah/  said  my  lord,  bowing  low, 
'  Captain  Thomas  Hawkins  of  Sir  Henry 
Morgan's  fleet  ?  ' 

"  Sir  Henry  Morgan !  "  I  exclaimed,  startled 
by  the  mention  of  the  famous  pirate  chief. 
Then  I  recovered  myself  and  motioned  the  fel 
low  to  continue.  '  Tell  their  whole  converse. 
What  did  the  Captain  answer?  " 

"  '  The  same,  my  lord/  said  he,  returning  the 
Count's  bow.  '  And  since  you  know  so  well 
my  name  will  your  lordship  have  the  goodness 
to  tell  me  by  what  name  you  are  called  ?  ' — I 
can  tell  you  that  the  men  all  pressed  up  to  hear 
for  they  were  mighty  curious  to  know  the  name 
of  one  who  could  beat  the  sword  out  of  the 
Cap'n's  hand,  but  could  also  make  him  stop,  a 
bowing  and  a  scraping,  in  the  streets  of  Augus 
tine,  forgetful  alike  of  his  own  and  his  men's 
danger  and  of  the  good  Spanish  gold  in  Gov 
ernor's  palace.  The  Count  asked,  '  Do  you 
sail  for  Hispaniola,  Captain  Hawkins  ?  ' 
'  Yes,  my  lord/  said  the  Cap'n.  '  I  have  sent 
ahead  the  good  prize  caught  in  the  harbor  and 
we  follow  fast  on  her  heels.'  '  Then  we'll  go 
with  you/  said  the  Count,  slipping  his  sword 
back  into  its  scabbard.  '  For  I  count  many 
friends,  good  and  true,  among  Morgan's 
buccaneers.  My  father  spent  several  years 

I50 


amongst  them  and  I  have  a  sister  who  resem- 
bleth  me  much  who  was  born  on  Hispaniola.' ' 

"  Born  on  Hispaniola !  "  I  cried,  Master  Ber 
nard  Schinking's  story  of  Colonel  Huguenin's 
life  coming  back  to  me.  "  And  what  said  he 
was  his  name?  " 

Sim  Taviss  looked  at  me  stupidly.  Then, 
after  a  time,  he  said,  scratching  his  head, 
'  Though  I  asked  every  man  on  board  they 
none  of  them  could  tell  me,  they  are  such 
monstrous  thick-heads.  Had  I  been  there  I 
would  have  heard  every  word  and  not  forgotten 
it — no  not — " 

"  Ho,  ho !  my  fine  gentleman,"  I  thought, 
"  All  this  beautifully  embroidered  story  comes 
to  me  second  hand.  You  were  not  there." 
Aloud  I  asked, 

"  Then  they  came  on  board  ?  " 

"  Not  until  the  Cap'n  had  said  that  he  would 
take  you  from  the  iron  cage.  For,  you  see  the 
Count  would  not  stir  a  foot  until  you  had  been 
taken  out.  Said  that  you  had  led  a  party  of 
Indians  into  the  city  and  taken  his  father  out 
of  the  Spanish  prison  and — 

"  God  in  Heaven !  man,"  I  cried  more  as 
tonished  than  I  can  express.  "  He  said  that  I 
had  taken  his  father, — his  father — out  of 
prison?  " 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

"  That  is  what  he  said,  for  so  all  the  men 
who  stood  near  told  me  when  they  returned," 
Sim  declared.  "  You'd  taken  his  father  out 
but  had  been  taken  yourself.  And  because  you 
would  not  lead  the  Spanish  Governor  and  his 
band  of  robbers  into  the  country  of  the  Indians 
who  had  come  with  you  they  had  hung  you  in 
the  cage  and  left  you  there  to  die.  Then  the 
Cap'n  went  and  took  you  down,  though  it  was 
precious  near  day  and  brought  you  to  the  ship 
and  here  you  have  lain  ever  since  and  the  Count 
has  ordered  me  to  attend  you." 

I  turned  so  that  I  might  gaze  full  into  the  face 
of  the  man  who  had  told  me  all  this  jumble  of 
truth  and  fiction;  for  I  would  judge,  if  possible, 
where  the  lies  left  off  and  the  facts  began,  for 
facts  I  knew  he  had,  though  where  he  got  them 
from  and  with  what  measure  of  lies  they  were 
mixed  I  could  not  tell. 

"  What  does  this  French  Count  look  like?  " 
I  asked  failing  to  get  his  name  and  hoping  to 
judge  by  his  resemblance  if  he  were  in  truth 
the  son  and  brother  of  the  Huguenins.  Though 
I  knew  full  well  that  no  such  son  or  brother 
had  ever  existed.  "  Is  he  small  or  tall  and 
what  is  the  color  of  his  eyes?  " 

"  He  is  not  so  tall  as  me,  not  by  a  whole 
hand-breadth,  not— 

"What  does  the  Captain  call  him?"  I  de- 

152 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

manded,  starting  on  another  tack  knowing 
that  I  could  never  get  the  truth  concerning  his 
appearance.  "  When  he  speaks  to  him,  does 
he  never  call  him  by  any  name?  " 

His  face  shone,  and  I  knew  that  his  answer 
would  be  the  truth. 

"  Yes,  he  calls  him  Count  Uldric,"  he  replied. 
"  But  I  cannot  think  of  the  other  part,  which 
is  such  a  curious  twisting  of  letters." 

"  Huguenin,"  I  suggested.  "  Uldric  Hu- 
guenin." 

Again  his  face  shone.  "  Yes,"  he  cried. 
"  The  very  name;  Count  Uldric  Huguenin." 

I  put  my  hand  to  my  head,  puzzled.  An 
toinette's  brother!  And  though  I  had  counted 
myself  her  father's  closest  friend  I  had  never 
heard  of  him. 

"  He  wears  most  wondrously  beautiful 
clothes,"  Sim  went  on,  as  though  speaking  to 
himself  once  more,  and  I  saw  that  he  regarded 
his  bit  of  mirror  longingly.  '  Though  hang 
and  quarter  me  if  I  know  what— 

"  Sim,  Sim  Taviss.  thou  red-headed  devil, 
where  art  thou?"  bawled  a  great  voice  that 
sounded  as  though  it  came  from  the  bowels  of 
the  ship.  "  Where  art  thou,  I  say,  thou  lazy 
varlet?  Not  for  a  minute  can  I  take  my  hand 
from  thy  collar,"  the  voice  continued  to  shout, 
sounding  at  last  as  though  its  owner  had 

'53 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

mounted  deck  and  was  quite  near  us.  "  Where 
is  the  little  devil?  Let  me  but  lay  my  hands 
on—" 

The  door  burst  open  and  a  most  villainous 
face  thrust  itself  inside. 

"  So  I've  found  ye,"  bawled  this  fiendish 
looking  creature  thrusting  in  a  mighty  hand 
and  arm  and  dragging  out  my  boaster  dressed 
in  all  of  his  finery,  though  he  tried  hard  to  divest 
himself  of  it,  only  to  leave  behind  one  of  his 
gaudily  heeled  shoes. 

"By  all  the  fiends!"  the  voice  thundered, 
and  I  could  hear  the  scuffling  of  feet  and  knew 
that  Sim  sought  to  free  himself  from  the 
clutches  of  the  fiery- faced  giant.  "If  the 
young  devil  hasn't  been  getting  himself  up  like 
a  fine  gallant.  Ho,  ho !  "  and  there  followed 
a  mighty  roar  of  laughter.  Then  sounded  the 
scurrying  of  feet,  as  of  men  running  from  all 
quarters  of  the  deck,  and  of  others  joining  in 
the  merriment. 

"  In  the  Devil's  name  what  is  all  this  ?  "  de 
manded  a  voice,  which  I  knew  to  be.  both  from 
its  power  and  the  command  of  its  tone,  the 
Captain's.  "  What  does  this  mean,  this  crowd 
ing  the  deck.  I  will  send —  What  have  you 
there,  cook  ?  Ho,  ho !  "  he  roared  and  the  rest 
laughed  with  him. 

"  Look !  my  lord,"  he  cried,  and  I  knew  that 

154 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

there  was  but  one  on  board  whom  he  would 
so  address.  "  See  what  overturn  you  have 
caused  on  my  good  ship.  Even  the  kitchen- 
boys  would  follow  your  fashions." 

"  And  by  my  troth !  Captain,  it  is  vastly  be 
coming,"  answered  a  voice,  the  sound  of  which 
made  me  so  forget  myself  and  my  weak  condi 
tion  that  I  bounded  up  and  came  near  falling 
from  my  bunk  in  giddiness.  "  So  thou  lovest 
red-heeled  shoes,  Simeon?  "  the  voice  went  on 
tauntingly.  "  And  would  have  thy  cheeks 
rival  thy  head  ?  Thou  pretty  fool !  Would 
that  King  Louis  could  have  thee,  then  would 
he  not  grieve  longer  for  his  L'Angeli.  And 
the  gallant  Captain,  whom  I  commanded  thee 
to  attend;  what  says  he  to  thy  brave  clothes?  " 

There  was  a  splutter  that  I  could  not  under 
stand;  then  followed  a  burst  of  laughter  and 
the  same  high-pitched  voice  that  was  of  a 
sweetness  that  passed  all  music,  exclaimed : 
"  As  brave  as  any  gentle  that  ever  drew  blade, 
said  he  ?  Then,  Captain,  I  think  thy  honorable 
prisoner  hath  come  to  his  full  senses  and 
should  grace  the  deck  with  his  presence.  Go 
L'Angeli,  Captain  Hawkins's  L'Angeli,  seek 
out  the  surgeon  and  bid  him  visit  the  English 
prisoner,  and  if  he  be  recovered  and  in  his  right 
mind  bring  him  on  deck.  What!  thou  red- 
faced  devil.  Loose  thy  hold  on  the  boy,  or 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

by —  There  followed  such  a  torrent  of  vil 
lainous  oaths  that  I  sat  stupefied  that  I  should 
have  so  far  lost  my  senses  as  ever  to  have  im 
agined  the  voice  had  the  sound  of  Antoinette's. 

Like  the  veriest  dolt  I  sat  there  staring  be 
fore  me  with  unseeing  eyes,  my  wits  knocked 
so  far  from  their  base  that  I  could  not  even 
listen  understandingly  to  what  passed  on  deck. 
There  was  but  one  question  in  my  brain,  and 
that  came  to  me  but  dully.  Who  was  this 
blackguard  that  had  been  taken  from  an  Eng 
lish  ship  on  his  way  to  Charleston  and  who, 
found  in  the  streets  of  Augustine,  had  refused 
succor  offered  by  the  pirates,  of  whom  he  knew 
right  well,  unless  they  rescued  me.  a  stranger, — 
rescued  me,  who  had  never  heard  even  of  his 
existence?  So  I  sat  when  Sim  Taviss  again 
made  his  appearance  followed  by  a  man  who 
looked  a  surgeon  to  an  ox,  though  I  found  his 
huge  red  hands  did  not  lack  gentleness  when  he 
examined  my  head  and  the  wounds  made  by 
the  fetters  on  my  arms  and  ankles. 

They  delivered  their  message  from  the 
French  nobleman  ordering  me  on  deck  as 
though  no  man  had  a  better  right  to  give  orders 
on  their  ship.  After  a  few  steps  the  giddiness 
left  my  head  and  walking  between  them  I  went 
up  to  meet  the  man  to  whom,  in  some  measure 

156 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    YOUNG 

at  least,  I  owed  my  deliverance,  if  deliverance 
it  could  be  called, — this  changing  from  the 
power  of  the  Spaniard  at  Augustine  to  the 
pirates  of  Hispaniola. 


157 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 


THE  air  was  soft  and  the  sun  sunken  low 
among  fleecy  clouds  when  we  came 
on  deck.  The  surgeon  halted  that  I 
might  recover  breath  and  gain  control  of  my 
limbs  which  trembled  beneath  me  more  from 
lack  of  use  than  from  weakness.  It  was  like 
heaven  to  walk  once  more  unfettered  under  the 
sky  and  feel  the  cool  salt  breeze  against  my 
cheek.  The  sea  smiled  and  dimpled,  green, 
red  and  gold,  and  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach 
there  was  no  sight  of  land  nor  moving  thing 
save  the  white  sails  and  the  shape  of  a  ship 
that  followed  our  course  some  two  miles  far 
ther  west. 

'  That  is  our  consort,  the  prize  taken  before 
Augustine,"  the  man  at  my  side  said,  lifting  a 
huge  hand  and  pointing  to  the  sails  that  shone 
gold-tipped  beneath  the  sun  rays. 

Following  his  movement  my  eyes  riveted  on 
the  deep  scar  that  encircled  his  arm  above  the 
wrist.  He  saw  the  gaze  and  answered  it. 

"  I  too  have  swung  in  the  iron  cage  at  Au- 

158 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

gustine,"  he  said  raising  his  other  arm  and 
showing  a  like  scar.  "  I  was  a  ship  surgeon, 
a  man  of  peace,  earning  my  few  pounds  a  year, 
when  our  ship  was  attacked  on  the  high  seas 
by  Spaniards.  I  was  amongst  those  taken  cap 
tive  to  Augustine  and  I  lay  in  their  damp  and 
noisome  dungeon,  only  taken  out  when  for  lack 
of  sport  less  cruel  they  led  me  forth  to  be 
stretched  on  the  rack;  to  be  hung  to  four  posts 
by  my  thumbs  and  great  toes,  while  they  piled 
stones  in  the  hollow  of  my  belly,  or  be  put  to 
some  other  such  torture  that  only  devils  could 
originate  and  Spaniards  enjoy.  I  endured  this 
all  for  ten  years — ten  years  that  seemed  like 
centuries — and  could  not  die.  Finally  one  day, 
from  no  other  reason  than  an  idle  whim  or  be 
cause  my  tortures  ceased  to  amuse  him,  the 
Governor  ordered  me  to  the  cage  that  I  might 
at  last  serve  as  sport  for  the  people.  God  was 
kind  at  last.  After  ten  long  years  he  remem 
bered  me;  for  on  the  first  night  that  I  swung 
there,  the  city  was  attacked  by  Morgan's  buc 
caneers  who  released  me." 

"  You  became  one  of  them  ?  "  I  questioned, 
gazing  into  his  calm  blue  eyes  which  was  the 
one  redeeming  feature  of  his  hideously  scarred 
countenance — though  now  that  I  knew  the 
origin  of  those  scars  his  face  no  longer  seemed 
villainous. 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

"  Not  then,"  he  answered.  "  Even  then  I 
was  not  willing  to  turn  my  hand  against  my 
fellow  creatures  and  ship  under  the  black  flag, 
though  God  in  heaven  knows  that  I  had  suf 
fered  enough  in  that  cursed  city  to  make  me 
turn  against  the  whole  world.  The  buccaneers 
put  me  ashore  at  Jamestown  and  from  that 
colony  I  took  boat  to  England  to  search  for 
my  old  mother." 

After  waiting  a  short  space  for  him  to  speak, 
I  asked,  "  You  found  her?  " 

"  Yes,"  he  answered.  "  Lying  dead  in  a 
workhouse." 

"  A  workhouse !  "  I  exclaimed,  for  there 
was  that  about  the  man,  despite  the  roughness 
of  his  face  and  his  unlawful  profession,  that 
made  one  feel  he  had  been  a  gentleman  before 
he  was  a  pirate. 

"  A  gentlewoman  born  and  bred,  she  died 
alone  in  the  home  so  grudgingly  supplied  by 
her  native  town  to  its  pauper  outcasts.  She 
had  lived  there  five  years,  having  spent  the  last 
farthing  of  her  slender  property  in  her  efforts 
to  gain  my  release."  He  stopped  speaking, 
and  I  saw  his  great  hands  clench  and  the  cords 
in  his  scarred  neck  grow  tense.  "  When  I. 
looked  upon  her  dead  face,"  he  continued,  "  I 
knew  that  the  tortures  which  I  had  endured 
had  been  as  nothing  compared  to  her  sufferings. 

1 60 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    YOUNG 

I  buried  her;  then  I  left  England  and  joined 
Sir  Henry  Morgan's  fleet.  Whenever  we 
come  to  these  hunting-grounds,  we  go  not  away 
until  we  attack  the  city  of  Augustine  or  the 
shipping  that  lies  in  her  harbor.  It  is  so  stipu 
lated  in  the  papers  that  bind  me  to  this  ship." 

'  They  are  a  cruel  people — these  Spaniards," 
I  said,  remembering  the  people,  men,  women 
and  children  who  had  crowded  the  sea-wall 
that  they  might  jeer  at  me  and  watch  my  suf 
ferings — aye,  even  young  babies  had  been 
brought  that  they  might  shake  their  little  fists 
and  spit  at  me.  '  They  have  not  compassion 
even  for  creatures  of  their  own  kind." 

"  Not  even  the  compassion  of  devils  born  in 
the  depths  of  hell !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  They  gibe 
and  gloat  over  the  sufferings  of  their  fellow 
creatures."  His  eyes  were  as  burning  coals 
and  his  brow  as  dark  and  threatening  as  a  storm 
cloud  at  nightfall.  It  needed  no  telling  for  me 
to  know  the  fate  of  the  Spaniards  who  fell  into 
his  hands. 

"  Master  Surgeon,"  I  questioned,  "  tell  me 
how  do  I  stand  with  the  captain  of  your  ship? 
I  know  neither  why  he  took  me  from  the  cage 
nor  what  end  he  designs  for  me." 

"  Captain  Hawkins  is  an  Englishman,  Cap 
tain  Middleton,"  he  replied.  "  Though  he  sails 
under  the  black  flag  and  does  many  things 

161 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

which  the  court  at  home  thunders  against,  and 
which  the  action  of  your  Governor  under  the 
commands  of  the  company  that  he  serves  makes 
crimes,  he  wars  not  against  those  who  speak 
his  native  tongue,  nor  any  other  for  that  mat 
ter,  save  only  that  of  the  race  which  by  its 
cruelty  and  greed  has  made  enemies  of  the  rest 
of  mankind." 

"  And  the  young  French  nobleman,  with  his 
aunt  and  her  serving  woman  whom  he  met  in 
the  streets  of  Augustine?  "  I  queried. 

"  The  captain  of  the  York  is  a  strange  man," 
he  answered,  with  a  grim  smile.  "  He  has  a 
weakness  that  some  day  may  prove  his  undoing. 
No  man  living  more  admires  a  pretty  face  or  a 
handsome  form.  The  young  French  count  has 
both,  and  because  of  them  more  than  either  his 
race  or  his  swordsmanship,  he  and  the  two 
women  of  his  party  are  as  honored  guests  on 
board  this  ship."  Then  he  moved  forward, 
keeping  me  at  his  side. 

"  It  is  the  Count's  pleasure  to  sit  on  the  poop 
deck  with  his  aunt  and  her  woman,  but  ofttimes 
when  they  are  below  the  Captain  goes  there  to 
dice  with  him,"  he  said,  as  we  passed  along  the 
deck  and  by  pirates  whom  I  knew  to  be  brutal 
and  daring,  though  they  looked  not  worse  than 
many  seamen  on  board  honest  ships.  "  It  is 
there  that  I  was  ordered  to  conduct  you." 

162 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TO  UNO 

When  we  had  climbed  the  poop  ladder  I  saw 
that  two  men  sat  at  a  small  table  and  diced  in 
tently.  The  one  whose  face  was  towards  me 
was  tall  and  rawboned,  and  with  a  countenance 
so  far  from  comeliness  that  to  know  of  his  ad 
miration  of  beauty  in  others  was  a  guarantee 
of  the  wondrous  generosity  of  his  nature.  The 
hair  that  framed  his  long  weather-beaten  face, 
with  its  woebegone  expression,  was  a  rusty 
black  and  fell  in  straggled  straight  locks  to  his 
shoulders.  His  wide  hat,  with  its  high  crown, 
and  his  clothes  were  of  the  same  rusty  black 
and  together  with  his  large  solemn  eyes, 
he  appeared  an  hundred  times  nearer  a  second- 
rate  country  parson  than  the  captain  of  a  pirate 
ship.  He  who  sat  with  him  was  slenderly  built 
and  of  a  symmetry  that  made  every  line  of  his 
figure  a  marvel  of  grace.  His  back  was  toward 
me  and  his  broad  hat  with  its  long  plume  was 
pulled  so  far  forward  that  only  the  round  curve 
of  his  chin,  which,  his  elbow  on  the  table,  he 
rested  in  his  open  palm,  was  visible  to  my  eyes. 

Captain  Hawkins  left  off  his  gaming  and 
came  to  greet  me  with  a  dignity  that  made  me 
know  him  at  least  a  man  of  breeding,  if  not  of 
high  rank  before  he  was  a  pirate. 

"  Though  I  stand  under  the  law  of  your 
colony,  a  criminal  for  many  deeds,  Captain 
Middleton,"  he  said,  "  and  perhaps  you  in 

163 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

your  heart  rate  me  a  friend  unworthy  an  honest 
man,  I  could  not  leave  an  Englishman  and  so 
gallant  a  soldier  as  report  bespeaks  you,  at  Au 
gustine  and  to  the  tortures  of  their  iron  cage. 
As  a  guest  I  brought  you  to  my  ship  and  will 
promise  to  set  you  down  at  some  place  where 
you  will  find  ship  to  your  own  city." 

I  thanked  him,  both  for  himself  and  the  men 
who  followed  him,  and  though  my  words  were 
few  I  am  sure  the  grip  of  the  hand  that  I  ex 
tended  to  him  unasked,  and  the  earnestness  of 
my  manner,  made  him  know  me  sincere. 

"  It  is  to  the  Count  Uldric  Huguenin  that 
you  owe  thanks  for  your  rescue,"  he  answered 
my  words  and  hand-clasp,  turning  towards  the 
man  who  now  sat  dicing  with  himself.  "  We 
were  bent  on  the  treasure  in  the  Governor's 
palace,  and  might  not  have  had  opportunity  to 
seek  out  the  iron  cage  had  he  not  persuaded 
us  to  leave  the  one  and  rescue  the  other." 

"  Nay,  Captain  Middleton,"  the  young  count 
exclaimed  in  a  voice  that  I  would  have  sworn 
to  as  Antoinette's,  had  the  man  not  sat  there 
within  touch  of  my  hand,  "  I  did  but  follow 
my  sister's  commands.  She  bade  me  leave  not 
that  cursed  city  until  I  had  rescued  you."  Here 
he  stretched  out  his  shapely  legs,  covered  by 
red  silk  stockings  clocked  with  gold,  crossed 
his  feet,  daintily  balancing  one  brightly  polished 

164 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

shoe  with  its  square  toe  and  its  high  red  heel 
upon  the  other.  "  She  has  the  devil's  own 
temper,  the  devil's  own  temper,  has  Mistress 
Antoinette  Huguenin,  as  thou  well  knowest, 
Captain  Middleton." 

"  I  know  her  to  be  a  lady  of  rare  sweetness, 
my  lord,"  I  told  him,  my  voice  shaken  by  the 
indignation  aroused  in  me  by  his  words  and 
the  carelessness  of  his  tone.  "  And  of  a  stead 
fast  courage  surpassing  any  man." 

'  Yes,  verily  she  is  steadfast,"  he  answered, 
busily  shaking  the  little  cubes  and  clapping  the 
box  down  on  the  table.  "  Of  such  a  stubborn 
steadfastness  that  I  was  forced  to  leave  her 
behind  me  in  Augustine.  I  could  not  dissuade 
her;  she  but  waits  the  return  of  her  messenger 
from  the  French  court  craving  permission  of 
King  Louis  for  her  to  wed  with  the  young 
Spanish  Governor,  Captain  Middleton." 

"  My  lord,"  I  said, — and  the  summer  that 
had  sung  in  my  heart  through  all  the  blackness 
of  my  tortures  and  despair  because  of  the 
knowledge  that  Antoinette  loved  me  gave  place 
to  a  darkness  that  shut  out  the  very  sunlight 
while  my  limbs  trembled  beneath  me  and  I 
leaned  heavily  against  the  ship  rail —  "  My 
lord,  it  seems  but  yesterday  eve  that  they  walked 
on  the  sea-wall  and  I  saw  her  strike  him  angrily 
in  the  face." 

165 


WHEN    the    LAND    -was    YOUNG 

"  She  told  me  of  it,"  he  assured  me,  leaving 
the  dice  on  the  table  and  turning  his  body  more 
fully  towards  me,  though  the  movement  gave  me 
not  a  better  view  of  his  face.  "  It  is  the  way  of 
women;  there  is  no  accounting  for  either  their 
actions  or  their  words.  Even  my  aunt — you 
have  never  seen  her,  Captain  Middleton,  though 
she  is  now  on  board  this  ship  as  the  guest  of 
this  gallant  Captain — hath  her  whims.  She 
loves  so  well  her  English  home  that  she  has 
ever  considered  it  rank  treason  to  enter  France 
and  could  not  be  persuaded  to  visit  his  court 
though  invited  by  King  Louis  himself.  Her 
black  woman — whom  also  you  are  yet  to  see 
for  the  first  time,  Captain  Middleton, — hath 
acts  beyond  the  comprehension  of  mortal  man. 
She  is  as  silent  as  a  graven  image,  since  she 
has  come  on  board  this  galleon,  and  often  sits 
and  stares  at  me  as  at  a  thing  possessed.  They 
all  have  maggots  in  their  brains,  all  women. 
Mistress  Moreton — whom  you  know  right  well, 
Captain  Middleton,  and  who  with  the  black 
slave  Marcie  is  soon  to  be  returned  to  Charles 
ton,  with  a  goodly  number  of  pieces  of  eight, 
to  salve  her  pride  and  pacify  your  Governor — 
has  a  brain  badly  eaten  by  these  little  worms. 
She  is  mad  for  the  mating  of  Antoinette  with 
the  Don,  advising  her  most  earnestly  against 
following  me  out  of  Augustine,  though  she 

166 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

could  give  no  reason  for  her  desire.  Now,  Cap 
tain  Hawkins,"  he  cried  turning  towards  the 
pirate  chief,  "  I'll  warrant  you  cannot  guess  the 
reason  which  this  sister  of  mine — whom  Cap 
tain  Middleton  praises  so  highly — gives  for 
wishing  to  wed  the  Spanish  Governor." 

"  I  know  not,  my  lord,"  the  captain  of  the 
York  replied.  "  I  have  small  acquaintance  with 
women  and  pretend  not  to  understand  their 
whims  and  fancies. " 

"  It  is  more  than  a  fancy,  Sir  Captain,"  the 
young  nobleman  assured  him.  "  She  is  simply 
dying  of  love  for  this  Spaniard,  ready  to  drop 
down  at  his  feet  for  very  lovesickness.  She 
gives  as  her  reason,  Captain  Middleton,  that 
he  calls  her  not  a  termagant,  and  has  never 
told  her  that  she  has  the  temper  of  a  shrew." 

"  My  lord,"  I  cried,  and  there  was  a  feeling 
in  my  heart  that  even  I  myself  did  not  under 
stand.  "  My  lord,  I  follow  not  the  meaning 
of  your  jest." 

He  threw  out  his  hand  as  though  motioning 
aside  my  question — just  such  a  hand  as  his 
sister  had  given  me  to  kiss,  and  as  white.  Then 
springing  to  his  feet  he  walked  forward,  shad 
ing  his  eyes  with  his  hand,  and  gazed  out  to 
wards  the  ship  captured  before  Augustine. 

His  was  a  most  surprising  beauty.  His  long 
black  curls  fell  below  his  shoulders,  rivalling  in 

167 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TO  UNO 

glossiness  his  coat  of  red  and  yellow  brocade. 
His  long  vest  was  of  white  satin  wrought  in 
gold  thread  and  pearls,  his  short  breeches  were 
of  velvet,  the  color  of  a  summer  cloud, and  over 
the  bosom  of  his  fine  muslin  shirt  flowed  the 
long  ends  of  his  Steinkirk  neckcloth  of  price 
less  lace.  The  handsomeness  of  his  figure  could 
not  be  over  praised  and  he  had  the  dignity  and 
command  of  manner  and  bearing  befitting  the 
son  of  an  hundred  kings. 

"  Captain  Hawkins,"  he  cried,  his  gaze  still 
on  the  sea,  "if  my  eyes  deceive  me  not,  your 
prize  flies  again  the  colors  of  Spain." 

The  buccaneer  chief  at  my  side  gave  the  snort 
of  a  war  horse  when  it  first  scents  battle;  his 
eyes  flashed  forth  the  blue  flame  of  a  good 
blade  when  it  is  quickly  drawn  from  its  scab 
bard;  he  rushed  forward,  clapped  glasses  to  his 
eyes  and  stood  at  my  lord's  side  gazing  out  at 
his  lately  captured  consort.  Other  of  the  pirates, 
seeing  his  action,  hastened  to  that  side  the  ship 
or  climbed  up  in  the  rigging.  The  mate,  a 
tall  giant  with  fair  curls  and  the  face  and  figure 
of  a  fierce  and  beautiful  god,  clambered  up  the 
poop  ladder  and  went  whirling  past  me  to  his 
Captain's  side.  My  lord  turned  towards  me, 
swept  off  his  hat  and  looked  me  squarely  in  the 
face.  I  reeled  back  as  though  struck  a  deadly 
blow.  The  sea  and  sky  came  together  and 

168 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

whirled  about  me  in  one  mighty  mass  of  black 
ness.  There  was  a  roar  like  the  deep  sea  in  my 
ears  and  the  shouts  and  calls  of  the  pirates  as 
they  rushed  about  on  deck  trying  to  signal 
their  comrades  on  board  the  merchantman. 
Their  angry  cries  and  blasphemous  oaths  when 
they  realized  that  it  had  by  some  means,  again 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  its  Spanish  crew,  came 
to  me  but  faintly.  Through  it  all  and  over  it 
all  there  was  a  singing,  singing,  singing — 
bright  flowers  sprang  up  all  about  me — sum 
mer  again  entered  my  heart  and  I  knew  that  its 
reign  was  eternal. 

"  Captain  Middleton  is  ill,  Master  Mate," 
that  high,  sweet  voice  that  I  had  heard  so  often 
in  my  dreams  both  by  day  and  by  night,  ex 
claimed. 

"  'Tis  an  illness  that  will  pass,  my  lord," 
the  mate's  voice  replied,  and  I  thought  there 
sounded  in  it  a  note  of  mocking  suspicion. 

"  Until  it  pass,  sir,  I  would  have  you  see 
him  carried  to  his  bed  and  properly  tended." 
There  was  the  command  of  royalty  itself  in  that 
tone.  "  He  is  a  true  friend  of  my  father,  and 
a  gallant  soldier  and  gentleman.  It  would  ill 
befit  my  father's  son  to  see  him  suffer." 

"  An  your  father's  son  had  never  seen  him 
before,  my  lord?"  questioned  the  mate.  I 
thought  his  voice  was  still  more  mocking. 

169 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

"  That  is  a  misfortune,  Sir  Mate,  that  he 
has  already  begun  to  remedy.  I  would  have 
him  moved  below." 

I  lifted  my  head  from  the  table  and  arose 
from  the  chair  into  which  I  had  fallen. 

"  I  need  no  assistance,  my  lord,  though  I  am 
not  well  and  unfit  to  be  on  deck.  I  will  bid 
you  good  night  and  go  below."  I  swept  him  a 
bow  in  which  there  was  all  the  deference  of  my 
whole  heart  and  soul,  and  turned  and  left  him 
standing  on  the  poop  deck,  face  to  face  with 
the  mate. 


170 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 


UNTIL  the  moon  sank,  and  then  by  star 
light,  they  chased  that  merchant  ship 
recaptured  by  its  Spanish  crew.  As  I 
lay  on  my  bunk — where  I  had  remained  all 
night  at  the  command  of  the  captain  delivered 
by  the  surgeon — I  could  hear  the  storm  that 
raged  on  deck  above  my  head.  Towards  morn 
ing  there  was  a  lull  which  a  few  hours  later 
was  succeeded  by  hubbub  the  like  of  which  I 
had  never  heard  before.  There  was  a  mighty 
rattling  of  cordage,  a  creaking  of  sails  and  the 
course  of  the  ship  changed.  I  peered  out  into 
the  now  bright  light  of  good  dawn  and  saw  at 
no  great  distance  the  ship  that  yesterday  had 
sailed  as  our  consort,  and,  with  only  a  short 
space  between  them,  a  galleon,  heavily  armed, 
and  flying  the  Spanish  colors. 

We  were  bearing  straight  down  upon  them 
and  I  could  see  that  the  waste  of  dark  waters 
between  us  grew  rapidly  less.  Every  moment 
the  noise  overhead  increased  until  there  seemed 
no  sounds  in  the  round  world  but  that  of  bias- 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

phemous  oaths,  wild  shouts,  yells  of  rage,  the 
tramp  of  hurrying  feet,  the  clank  of  iron  and 
the  shriek  of  cordage.  We  gained  so  far  that 
I  could  distinguish  movements  on  board  the 
two  ships  pursued.  Then  hopeless  of  flight 
they  no  longer  sought  to  escape  us  but  prepared 
to  fight  and  stood  waiting  for  the  pirate  to 
come  within  range  of  their  guns. 

The  noise  on  board  suddenly  died  out;  not 
a  sound  came  to  my  ears  save  the  rush  of  the 
waves  as  the  ship  cut  her  way  through  them. 
Would  the  buccaneer  dare  to  fight  them  single 
handed  or  would  she  again  change  her  course 
while  yet  out  of  reach  of  their  guns  and  sail 
on  to  her  destination  in  the  Indies?  I  ques 
tioned  of  myself.  I  waited — it  seemed  hours — 
with  the  suspense  of  that  dead  silence  hanging 
above  me,  then  unmindful  of  Captain  Hawkins's 
commands,  I  rushed  on  deck. 

Like  grim  devils,  naked  to  their  waists,  the 
men  of  that  pirate  ship  appeared  in  the  rosy 
light  of  early  dawn.  They  lay  as  immovable 
as  statues  or  stood  at  their  posts  doing  the 
tasks  assigned  them  as  dumb  and  silent  as  dead 
men.  Their  eyes  were  glued  to  the  two  ships 
that,  with  every  heart  beat,  seemed  visibly 
nearer.  I  passed  among  them  unnoticed  and 
clambering  to  the  quarter-deck  searched  out  a 

1/2 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    YOUNG 

place  where  I  might  see  to  good  advantage, 
stood  waiting. 

It  was  not  long.  There  came  a  stream  of 
flame,  a  puff  of  smoke  and  a  shot  from  a  gun 
of  the  armed  galleon  tore  shrieking  through 
our  canvas.  It  did  small  harm.  Then  another 
stream,  another  puff,  and  again  our  sail  was 
cut.  We  sped  on,  making  straight  for  the 
open  space  between  the  two  Spanish  ships. 
There  was  a  blaze  from  both  merchant  ship  and 
galleon.  The  shriek  of  shot  sounded  overhead; 
I  heard  the  sharp  crack  of  rending,  splintering 
wood,  and  with  a  mighty  rattling  of  ropes,  our 
topmast  fell  on  deck  with  its  stretch  of  flapping 
canvas. 

Captain  Hawkins  spoke  over  the  rail. 

I  heard  the  mate  pass  the  word  below. 

With  a  great  leap  the  deck  sprang  forward, 
the  flames  of  two  broadsides  lit  the  sea,  flared 
up  to  heaven,  and  started  a  tumult  that  beat  on 
my  brain  with  one  unceasing  thud.  Then  the 
shriek  of  shot  was  again  over  our  heads  and 
among  us.  Our  silence  gave  place  to  shouted 
curses,  cries  of  hate  and  rage,  shrieks  and 
moans,  both  above  and  below.  The  men  were 
no  longer  dumb  but,  like  fiends  incarnate, 
rushed  from  gun  to  gun,  now  bearing  fresh 
charges,  now  to  take  the  place  of  some  com- 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

rade  whom  others  bore  groaning  to  the  cockpit 
below.  The  deck  was  streaked  with  thick 
black  streams  that  ran  together  and  formed 
dark  pools  through  which  the  naked  feet 
splashed  and  became  horrible  to  look  upon.  An 
other  mast  came  crashing  down,  to  be  cut 
away  and  cast  into  the  sea.  Our  sides  belched 
fire  and  our  deck  was  raked  by  that  shrieking 
hail  of  death  until  every  plank  held  a  river  of 
blood  or  was  covered  by  a  prostrate  form  whose 
contorted  face  showed  hideous  in  the  flashes  of 
flame  through  the  smoke. 

A  shot  struck  down  the  captain,  and  I  heard 
his  blood  splash  on  the  deck  as  they  bore  him 
past  the  spot  where  I  stood.  One  leg  had  been 
torn  off  below  the  knee  and  his  long  weather- 
beaten  countenance  was  like  the  livid  face  of  a 
corpse.  We  were  hard  pressed.  The  tattered 
sails  of  the  ships  we  fought  loomed  up,  one 
on  each  side,  close  to  our  bulwarks.  I  could 
hear  the  shouts  and  the  curses  of  those  on  their 
decks;  I  could  see  them  hurrying  hither  and 
thither,  then  swarming  to  the  nearer  sides,  and 
knew  that  they  stood  ready  to  throw  their 
grappling  irons  and  board  us.  The  voice  of  the 
York's  mate  gave  a  sharp  command,  as  he 
stood  in  the  captain's  place,  towering  up  like 
some  beautiful  prince  of  demons  surrounded  by 
his  imps  in  the  sulphurous  glare.  Up  from 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

below,  from  the  very  bowels  of  the  ship, 
swarmed  a  crowd  of  half -naked  men,  their 
bodies  smeared  with  blood  and  grimy  dirt,  their 
villainous  faces  showing  the  grim  determina 
tion  of  those  who  know  their  cause  to  be  in 
desperate  straits.  I  noted  the  huge  figure  of 
the  surgeon — huge  even  among  this  army  of 
giants — and  knew  that  all  thought  of  the 
wounded  and  dying  had  been  put  aside  in  the 
effort  to  save  the  living.  The  ship  had  given 
up  its  last  man  to  save  the  ship. 

I  saw  the  herd  of  savage  creatures  crowd 
ing  against  the  rail  of  the  galleon,  their  weap 
ons  held  ready  in  their  hands.  I  heard  their 
curses  in  Spanish,  Portuguese,  and  the  mon 
grel  speech  of  the  Indies.  All  the  venom  in  me. 
all  the  hatred  of  Englishman  against  Spaniard, 
all  the  cruel  tortures  which  I  and  my  friends 
had  suffered,  surged  through  my  brain  like  a 
mighty  wave,  engulfing  the  command  of  the 
captain  and  the  dishonor  of  fighting  with 
pirates.  My  belt  was  empty  and  I  turned  to 
rob  the  dead. 

"  There  are  two  women  in  the  state  cabin 
who  have  need  of  your  services,  Captain  Mid- 
dleton."  The  person  known  to  the  pirates  as 
Count  Uldric  Huguenin  stood  at  my  side  offer 
ing  me  a  brace  of  pistols  and  an  unsheathed 
sword. 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

I  started  forward  with  I  know  not  what  cry 
on  my  lips,  what  feeling  gripping  my  heart. 
Then  I  stopped  stock  still,  confounded  by  the 
command  expressed  in  the  face  that  confronted 
me. 

"  Captain  Middleton,"  the  tone  was  one  of 
sharp  attention.  "  You  are  a  soldier,  a  man 
schooled  to  meet  dangers  unmoved.  Let  not 
a  woman  teach  you  self-control.  You  go  to 
fight  the  mortal  enemies  of  England  and  to 
preserve  yourself  from  recapture." 

"And  you?"  I  asked,  meeting  eyes  into 
which  I  knew  that  I  might  gaze  a  lifetime  and 
read  no  shadow  of  fear. 

"I  go  to  guard  the  door  of  the  state  cabin 
where  sit  two  women  who  go  with  me  when 
I  needs  must  bid  good-night  to  this  world." 

A  moment  we  clasped  hands,  gazed  into  each 
other's  eyes  and  only  God  knows  what  thoughts, 
what  questions,  what  promises  passed  between 
us,  asked  and  answered,  in  that  brief  space  of 
time. 

The  deck  beneath  our  feet  rose  up,  hurling 
us  apart.  The  York  and  the  galleon  that  grap 
pled  with  her  rode  so  high  that  for  an  instant 
they  appeared  to  leave  the  water  entirely.  Then 
they  sank  deep,  for  a  space  wallowing  in  the 
waves.  With  wild  shouts  of  exultation,  the 
Spaniards  swarmed  over  our  side  and  closed 

176 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

with  the  men  who  waited  to  receive  them.  In 
that  space,  in  which  every  minute  seemed  a 
thousand  years  I  know  not  what  I  did,  how 
many  of  the  fighting,  struggling,  swearing, 
screeching  creatures  fell  beneath  my  sword, 
nor  did  I  feel  the  wounds  they  gave  me. 

It  was  all  a  great  misty,  mazy  blur  of  black 
ness  and  blood  red,  in  which  the  mate  and  the 
surgeon  alone  took  definite  form.  They  slashed 
to  the  right  and  the  left,  slaying  all  who  came 
within  reach  of  their  mighty  arms.  More  than 
once  they  came,  when  I  was  hard  pressed, 
beating  back  the  foemen  who  struggled  to  take 
my  life. 

At  last  we  beat  the  Spaniards  back;  we 
forced  them  over  the  sides,  whirling  many  into 
the  gulf  below  before  they  could  even  put  out 
their  hands  and  touch  their  own  ship.  The 
pirates  raised  a  hoarse  yell,  drowned  all  at 
once  by  the  shock  of  the  merchant  ship  as  she 
grappled  us  aft.  Her  men  sprang  over  our 
sides  and  reached  the  middle  of  the  deck  before 
the  pirates  met  them  with  a  rush  that  swept 
them  back  like  chaff.  They  sought  to  regain 
their  own  deck,  rushing  rough-shod  over  the 
groaning  heaps  of  wounded  and  dying,  only 
to  be  cut  down  or  forced  back  into  the  sea. 
Calling  to  his  men,  the  mate  scaled  our  bul 
warks  and  leaped  upon  the  Spaniards.  I  was 

I77 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

following  hard  on   his  heels  when   his   voice 
stopped  me. 

'  The  surgeon  is  down,  Captain  Middleton," 
he  cried.  "  And  the  Spaniards,  boarding  from 
the  galleon,  scale  our  sides  again," 

Before  the  last  word  passed  his  lips  I  and  the 
men  who  fought  around  me  were  back  and 
upon  them. 

Over  our  sides  we  drove  them,  following 
even  to  the  galleon's  deck.  Like  cattle  we  beat 
them  back  and  down — allowing  no  quarter — 
until  the  last  man  of  them  lay  dead  at  our  feet. 
With  a  hoarse  shout  of  exultation  the  men 
who  followed  me  sank  down  exhausted,  un 
mindful  alike  of  the  pools  of  blood  and  of  the 
dead  men  against  whom  they  lay. 

The  sight  that  met  my  eyes  when  the  smoke 
had  cleared  away  was  such  as  would  make  a 
strong  man's  blood  run  cold  and  a  timid  woman 
lose  her  reason.  Side  by  side  the  three  great 
ships  lay,  grappled  together  and  tossing  at  the 
mercy  of  the  waves  and  of  their  flapping,  shot- 
riddled  sails.  There  was  not  a  moving  thing 
in  sight.  The  men  wrho,  an  hour  before,  made 
hell  on  earth  by  their  impious  curses  and  unholy 
strife,  living  and  dead  alike,  lay  prone  on  the 
blood-soaked  decks.  Even  the  wounded  had 
either  fainted  or  slept,  and  were  no  longer  con- 

178 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

torted  by  convulsions  or  raising  their  voices  in 
blasphemous  imprecations  and  piteous  moans. 

The  exhaustion  passed  and  we  arose  and 
went  to  search  over  the  prize  that  we  had  taken 
with  such  a  fearful  loss  of  life.  We  found  a 
king's  ransom  twice  over  in  gold  and  in  silver, 
there  were  bales  and  bundles  of  rich  cloth  of 
gold  and  cloth  of  silver;  frails  of  pearls  and 
other  jewels  that  my  pirate  followers  did  not 
stop  to  count  but  of  which  each  took  as  many 
as  he  wished.  In  the  state  cabin  we  came  upon 
six  trembling  women  and  two  priests  blanched 
with  fear.  I  barricaded  the  door  and  rating 
the  men  as  their  Captain  would  have  done, 
forced  them  to  leave  the  fear-stricken  creatures 
unharmed  and  go  with  me  to  other  parts  of  the 
ship.  In  the  reeking  hold  we  found  huddled 
some  half  an  hundred  prisoners,  black,  red, 
and  white, — both  men  and  boys — designed  as 
we  all  knew  to  be  sold  as  slaves.  I  ordered  the 
hatches  opened  and  they  came  swarming  out 
like  a  horde  of  wild  men,  desperate  with  fear. 
When  they  saw  the  deck  strewn  with  the  life 
less  bodies  of  those  who  had  until  recently  held 
them  captive  they  gazed  into  the  faces  of  the 
handful  of  men  who  now  held  the  ship  with 
something  near  akin  to  hope  in  their  eyes. 

They  were  empty-handed  and  we  well  armed, 

179 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

They  had  been  subjected  to  cruel  tortures  as  we 
could  tell  by  the  wounds  on  their  bodies  and 
the  traces  of  bitter  pain  in  their  faces.  Like  a 
herd  of  frightened  sheep  they  stood  silently 
crowded  before  us,  the  weak  behind  the  strong. 

"  Is  there  not  one  among  you  with  a  tongue 
in  his  head,  men?  "  I  cried,  stepping  out  from 
among  the  pirates.  "  Some  of  you  have  the 
look  of  Englishmen." 

"  There  are  many  of  us  who  speak  the  Eng 
lish  tongue  and  some  who  claim  England  as 
our  home,  sir,"  one  of  them,  a  small  man  with 
a  keen  face  and  large  pensive,  dark  eyes,  said, 
making  his  way  to  the  front.  ''  Do  we  stand 
before  the  Captain  of  that  ship?"  he  asked, 
pointing  to  the  York  upon  which,  where  they 
all  could  see,  fluttered  a  black  flag. 

I  shook  my  head  and  pointed  to  the  mate 
who  had  but  just  leaped  from  the  merchant 
man  to  his  own  deck.  "  No,  friend,"  I  an 
swered.  "  I  was,  as  you  yourselves,  rescued 
from  the  hands  of  Spaniards  by  those  whom 
the  world  calls  pirates.  Their  captain  is  Thomas 
Hawkins,  of  whom  some  of  you  may  have 
heard." 

"  He  puts  to  death  no  Englishman,"  a  tall 
young  fellow,  with  a  countenance  that  was 
neither  mean  nor  villainous  despite  its  scars 
and  dirt,  exclaimed  stepping  forward  boldly. 

1 80 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

'  There  has  been  hard  fighting,  sir,  and  may 
hap  men  will  be  needed  to  take  these  prizes  in. 
I  would  sail  under  Captain  Thomas  Hawkins 
in  any  capacity  that  he  may  choose.  Aye, 
verily,  and  as  long  as  he  will  permit  me,  so 
that  he  goes  against  the  Spaniard." 

"  Aye,  aye,"  his  fellows  cried,  signifying 
their  willingness  to  follow  his  lead. 

The  mate  coming  to  the  galleon's  deck,  I  told 
him  of  their  words,  and  he  made  short  work  of 
appointing  them  to  the  task  of  throwing  into 
the  sea  the  dead  bodies  that  covered  the  planks. 
This  done,  the  treasure  secured  on  board 
the  York,  and  the  prisoners  set  at  tasks  of 
repairing  the  three  ships,  the  pirates  bethought 
themselves  of  the  women  and  the  priests  whom 
I  had  shut  within  the  state  cabin.  They  had 
lost  many  comrades  and  their  Captain  lay 
sore  wounded,  but  in  all  they  had  taken  two 
gallant  prizes  and  of  those  who  had  fought 
against  them  there  was  not  one  left  on  either 
of  the  three  ships;  living  and  dead  alike  had 
been  cast  into  the  sea.  All  were  in  high  good 
humor;  they  had  found  wine  in  plenty  and 
rich  food  with  which  they  would  soon  debauch 
themselves,  fine  clothes  to  deck  their  bodies, 
treasures  to  game  with,  and  now  they  would 
have  prisoners,  priests  and  women,  of  whom 
to  make  sport. 

181 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

With  wild  shouts  of  exultation  and  filthy 
oaths,  the  pirates  rushed  forward  to  burst  in 
the  cabin  and  begin  their  merriment.  The 
mate  turned  them  back,  rating  them  like  dogs, 
holding  his  point  against  them  and  daring  them 
to  come  against  him,  braving  the  crowd  of 
savage  villains  until  he  at  last  had  his  way. 
Then  choosing  three  to  his  liking  he  went 
below  and  led  out  the  cowering  women  and 
priests.  He  forced  them  on  to  the  poop  and 
there  the  men  sat  themselves  down  and  began 
dicing  for  the  women. 

They  were  all  Spaniards  and  none  of  a  great 
beauty;  but  they  were  women.  I  thought  of 
the  fate  that  awaited  them  and  my  heart 
turned  sick  from  very  hatred  of  men  and  their 
brutish  passions.  I  remembered  the  one  who 
had  guarded  the  two  helpless  women,  who  now 
sat  in  the  cabin  of  the  York,  and,  through  all 
the  terrible  hours  since  they  had  been  brought 
out  of  Augustine,  had  by  a  keen  wit,  snatched 
safety  for  them  out  of  this  same  ruin  and  held 
it  by  a  steadfast  courage  that  surpassed  the 
imaginings  of  men.  My  mind  was  busied  with 
such  thoughts  when  there  walked  in  among  us 
the  one  about  whom  they  were  -most  concerned. 

"  Master  Mate,"  my  lord  cried,  stopping  and 
looking  about  him,  his  lips  curled  in  fine  scorn, 
his  eyes  flashing,  "  who  is  that  covey  of 

182 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

frightened  doves  and  for  what  does  your  hell- 
litter  dice?"  In  his  tone  and  bearing,  as  he 
stood  there  amongst  them — one  man  among  a 
hundred — there  was  so  much  of  haughtiness 
and  courage,  that  the  men  left  off  their  gaming 
and  stared  at  him  askance. 

'  They  dice  for  possession  of  those  women, 
taken  from  the  state  cabin  of  this  galleon,  my 
lord,"  the  mate  answered. 

"  They  shall  not  have  them,  sir,"  my  lord 
cried,  facing  him,  his  hand  on  his  sword. 
"  That  I'll  swear." 

"  My  lord,"  the  mate  cried,  springing  to  his 
feet — his  unsheathed  blade  in  his  hand  and  an 
expression  on  his  handsome  face  that  was  ugly 
to  look  upon—  "  the  captain  of  the  York  lies  in 
his  cabin  wounded  unto  death  and  there  is  none 
on  board  who  dares  gainsay  my  orders."  At  his 
words,  the  other  pirates  sprang  up  and  were  at 
his  back.  "  I  say—" 

"  I  care  not  what  you  are  or  what  you  say," 
my  lord  flung  back  at  him,  departing  not  one 
hair's-width  from  the  spot  on  which  he  stood. 
I  clutched  the  sword  that  had  rested  idle  against 
my  knees  and  swore  in  my  heart  that  he  should 
not  die  alone.  "  I  stand  under  thy  challenge 
for  a  wager,  Master  Mate,  as  thou  well  know- 
est,"  he  cried  in  his  high,  sweet  voice  in  which 
there  was  now  the  ring  of  passion.  "  Had  I 

183 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

thought  it  out  an  hundred  years,  I  could  not 
have  hit  upon  a  forfeit  that  would  please  me 
so  well  as  does  yon  half  dozen  shrinking 
women." 

"  What,  ho,  wouldst  have  all  six?  "  shouted 
one  man  wearing  pierced  pezos  of  gold  in  his 
ears,  and  more  villainous  looking  than  the  rest. 
"  'Ods  blood  !  boy,  wouldst  have  a  harem,  thou 
prince  of  fighting  cocks?  " 

"  Yea,  it  suits  my  humor  to  found  a  harem 
on  your  pirate  island.  I  would  be  the  Grand 
Turk  of  your  New  World  and  live  at  mine  ease 
surrounded  by  such  sweet  loves.  An  I  beat 
you  at  swords,  Sir  Giant,  I  will  claim  as  my 
own  that  group  of  women  and  the  two  fathers 
—Aye,  verily,  I  must  have  the  priests  to  confess 
me;  for  though  I  be  the  Grand  Turk  of  the 
New  World  I  would  have  my  soul  prayed  into 
the  next.  I  stand  under  your  challenge,  Mas 
ter  Mate ;  you  threw  down  the  gauntlet,  now  I 
take  it  up,  naming  my  forfeit.  If  I  beat  you  at 
swords  the  women  and  the  priests  are  mine  to 
do  with  as  I  will." 

"  If  you  beat  me  at  swords,"  the  mate  cried 
fiercely,  "  you  may  claim  the  women  to  do  with 
as  you  will ;  but  the  priests — 

"  Give  him  the  fathers,  mate,  if  it  will  make 
him  die  easier,"  the  fellow  wearing  the  pierced 
pezos  cried,  with  a  string  of  unclean  oaths. 

184 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    YOUNG 

"  Let  him  have  his  whim  and  we  will  see  what 
metal  it  will  put  into  his  braggart's  arm  that 
he  meets  not  death  at  your  sword  point.  Give 
him  his  will,  it  will  make  you  to  spit  him  all 
the  better." 

"  I  saw  him  beat  down  the  Captain's  blade 
and  send  it  rattling  against  the  stones  in  the 
streets  of  Augustine,"  cried  a  pirate  whose 
brawny  shoulders  were  covered  by  what  re 
mained  of  a  red  velvet  jerkin.  And  I  saw  that 
there  would  be  a  side  for  as  well  as  one  against 
my  lord. 

"  Aye,  but  ye  will  not  see  him  beat  down  the 
mate's  blade,  devil,"  the  first  man  exclaimed, 
while  other  of  his  fellows  ran  for  sand  with 
which  to  strew  the  blood  smeared  deck.  Then 
the  ring  was  formed. 


185 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 


M 


Y  lord  stripped  off  his  coat  and  waist 
coat,  and  never  before  or  since  have 
I  seen  aught  in  man's  attire  as  beau 
tiful  as  was  the  young  Count  Uldric  Huguenin 
as  he  then  appeared  in  his  spotless  shirt  with 
his  ruffles  and  neckcloth  of  fine  lace.  A  moment 
he  stood  on  guard,  his  chin  held  high,  his  red 
lips  curled  in  a  smile,  his  eyes  like  twin  stars, 
waiting  the  onslaught  of  the  young  giant  who 
faced  him.  The  attack  of  the  mate  was  of  a 
fierce  intensity  that  took  my  breath;  by  brute 
force  he  sought  to  bear  down  and  overwhelm 
his  antagonist.  My  lord  met  his  strokes  by 
quick  changes  of  position  that  brought  into 
play  all  the  powers  of  the  mind,  eye  and  wrist 
and  proved  his  ability  to  read  and  interpret  in 
the  eye  of  his  enemy  his  intent  before  his  wrist 
had  power  to  execute.  I  handle  a  blade  that 
won  me  high  respect  both  among  roisterers 
and  gentlemen  in  England,  and  I  knew  that  I 
was  justly  rated  the  best  swordsman  in  Caro 
lina,  but  I  felt  that  should  I  ever  stand  face  to 

186 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

face  with  either  of  the  men  who  fought  before 
me  I  would  meet  my  match. 

The  mate  had  the  longer  reach  and  often  the 
young  court  gallant  was  hard  pressed.  Once, 
after  a  circular  parry,  I  sucked  in  my  breath 
and  felt  my  heart  strings  like  to  snap,  for  I 
thought  the  pirate's  blade  had  caught  him  in 
the  sword  arm,  but  my  lord  proved  too  quick 
for  him.  The  pirates  who  sat  on  my  side  of  the 
circle  cheered  softly. 

An  instant,  my  lord  gave  him  breathing 
space.  Then  they  were  at  it  again,  the  mate 
even  more  furiously.  I  soon  saw  that  my  lord 
could  tire  him  out  and  I  watched  with  beating 
heart  his  heavy  breathing  and  the  streams  of 
sweat  that  flowed  freely  over  his  great  body. 
He  tried  one  attack  after  another  and  my  lord 
was  much  put  to  it  to  defend  himself.  Then 
the  mate  came  upon  him  with  a  move  that 
made  me  grit  my  teeth  and  clench  my  hands 
until  the  nails  sank  deep  into  the  flesh;  it  was 
a  volte  coupe,  feinting  in  prime  and  thrusting 
in  seconde.  My  lord  parried,  and  with  a  swift 
movement  of  his  lithe,  beautiful  body,  held  the 
point  of  his  blade  over  the  giant's  heart.  The 
pirates  on  my  side  of  the  circle  cheered  lustily 
and  the  others  joined  with  them.  The  mate 
knew  their  meaning  and  after  a  moment's  glar 
ing  into  the  eyes  of  the  man  who  had  spared 

187 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

him,  slipped  his  sword  into  its  scabbard  and 
turned  cursing  away. 

My  lord,  still  smiling,  began  leisurely  to  re 
place  his  garments,  unheedful  alike  of  the 
pirates'  cheers  and  their  words  of  commenda 
tion. 

"  Have  ye  seen  him  beat  down  thy  mate's 
blade,  bully?  "  the  pirate  with  the  velvet  jerkin 
exclaimed  to  his  fellow  with  gold  pezos  in 
his  ears. 

"  'Twas  but  trickery,"  he  of  the  pezos  re 
plied  growling.  "  Had  the  mate  so  willed  it 
he  could  have  spitted  the  young  boasting  devil 
ten  times  over." 

"  Ye  lie  in  your  throat,  ye  whelp,"  the  first 
pirate  cried,  whipping  out  his  knife  and  making 
for  him  of  the  gold  earrings. 

They  grappled  and  there  arose  a  mighty  con 
fusion  in  which  all  joined,  each  man  fighting 
and  howling  out  the  name  of  his  favorite.  Some 
cried  for  the  mate,  others  for  the  count,  as  they 
laid  about  them  with  their  weapons.  The  mate 
sprang  among  them  and  took  a  hand  in  the 
fray.  He  seized  him  of  the  gold  pezos  and 
dragging  him  out  of  the  clutches  of  the  fellow 
who  wore  the  jerkin,  used  him  as  a  ram,  hurl 
ing  him  against  the  mass  of  the  other  fighters. 
He  rated  them  as  hounds  and  poured  out  such 

188 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

a  stream  of  villainous,  curdling  oaths  as  it  has 
never  been  my  fate  to  hear  surpassed. 

"Do  you  lack  an  assistant,  Master  Mate?" 
my  lord  cried,  gaily.  "  I  had  but  just  warmed 
to  the  fight  when  you  put  aside  your  blade  and 
would  be  right  blithe  to  cut  the  heart  out  of 
some  few  of  your  noisy  devils." 

Here  he  put  out  his  foot  and  tripping  the 
pirate  with  the  pezos  earrings,  sent  him  sprawl 
ing  to  the  deck.  For  the  brute  had  regained 
his  feet,  and  with  drawn  knife,  had  made  a 
mad  rush  for  the  mate.  There  was  a  shout  of 
laughter;  the  men  left  off  their  fighting,  and 
good  humor  was  restored. 

"  My  forfeit,"  said  my  lord,  turning  and 
doffing  his  hat  to  the  women  and  the  priests 
who  had  been  mute  and  trembling  witnesses 
to  these  two  mad  scenes. 

"  Aye,  let  the  young  gallant  have  his  for 
feit,"  shouted  a  brawny  savage,  snatching  off 
the  only  covering  that  he  wore  above  his  waist 
— a  handkerchief  of  delicately  embroidered  silk 
— and  waving  it  wildly  above  his  head.  "  Let 
him  have  his  forfeit,  I  say,  won  in  fair  fight 
and  with  honest  sword.  Give  the  young  lord- 
ling  his  coop  of  hens.  By  'r  larkin,  I'll  swear 
there's  not  one  among  them  with  as  pretty  a 
face  or  as  handsome  a  form  as  his  own." 

189 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

"Aye,  let  him  have  them;  let  him  take  his 
harem,"  they  all  cried  to  a  man;  even  the 
ruffian  with  the  pezos  joined  in  the  lusty  shouts 
of,  "  Fairly  won,"  "  With  honest  sword." 

The  mate  growled  out  his  assent  and  my 
lord  clapping  on  his  hat  strode  across  the  deck 
to  take  possession  of  his  winnings. 

"  My  lord,"  the  savage  of  the  silk  handker 
chief  cried,  "  had  I  a  wench  with  legs  of  but 
half  so  handsome  a  shape  as  thine  own  I'd 
not  sell  her  for  a  thousand  pezos  in  gold." 

"  Had  you  such  a  one,  villain,"  my  lord 
replied,  turning,  and  the  smile  on  his  lips  and 
the  color  in  his  cheeks  remained  unchanged, 
"  I  would  have  her  of  you  did  she  cost  the 
whole  of  my  fortune  and  I  had  to  cut  your 
black  heart  out  to  boot.  And  when  I  got  her 
I  would  thrust  this  deep  into  her  tender  bosom," 
he  said,  drawing  from  his  belt  a  keen  dagger 
with  jewels  flashing  in  its  hilt.  "  For  I  will 
have  no  rival  to  my  beauty,  not  even  a  woman." 

The  pirates  cheered  this  bragging  speech  loud 
and  long,  for  they  loved  right  well  the  haughti 
ness  of  his  bearing  and  the  mad  words  and 
curses  that  he  hurled  at  them,  defying  the  whole 
ship's  crew.  I  turned  my  gaze  on  the  mate 
that  I  might  see  in  what  sort  he  held  this  great 
show  of  favor  from  his  pirates.  I  met  his 
eyes; — it  was  plain  to  see  he  had  been  regarding 

190 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

me  narrowly.  I  read  lurking  in  their  depths 
an  expression— the  dawn  of  a  suspicion  in  some 
sort — that  I  was  not  soon  to  forget.  Knowing 
that  I  had  caught  him  unawares  he  turned  to 
my  lord,  exclaiming : 

"  What  is  your  will  concerning  the  two  fat 
hypocrites  and  your  last  flock  of  hens,  my 
lord?" 

"  To  put  them  in  their  coop,  Master  Mate, 
where  I  can  know  them  safe  and  coddle  them 
to  my  heart's  content,"  he  answered,  ogling  the 
captive  females  in  the  manner  which  I'll  war 
rant  he  had  learned  of  the  Grand  Monarque 
himself. 

"  Captain  Hawkins  lies  in  his  cabin  raving 
like  a  madman  and  the  surgeon  is  scarce  bet 
ter,"  the  mate  said,  having  ordered  his  pirates 
about  their  business,  when  we  three  were  left 
alone  on  the  poop  deck  with  the  prisoners. 
"  We  have  three  ships  and  hardly  men  enough 
to  man  one — I  know  not  how  our  crew  placed 
on  board  the  merchantman  at  Augustine  passed 
out  of  this  life,  but  they  had  all  been  murdered 
or  cast  living  into  the  sea.  It  is  my  purpose 
to  put  this  galleon  into  your  hands  as  its  cap 
tain,  Captain  Middleton,"  he  said,  turning  to 
me. 

"  And  my  lord?  "  I  exclaimed,  remembering 
the  look  that  I  had  caught  lurking  in  his  eyes. 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    YOUNG 

I  stared  at  him,  then  my  gaze  traveled  past 
him  to  my  lord's  face.  It  was  blankly  indiffer 
ent,  he  felt  no  interest  in  the  subject  and  I 
realized  that  I  must  needs  learn  self-control  of 
a  woman. 

"  I  will  appoint  my  lord  as  my  own  mate,  if 
he  will  so  serve,"  he  replied,  and  he  did  not 
strive  to  keep  out  of  his  voice  the  suspicion 
that  was  in  his  eyes. 

"  That  will  I,  Sir  Pirate,  and  right  blithe 
to  do  it,"  my  lord  cried,  his  face  flushing  and 
his  eyes  on  fire. 

"And  my  mate?"  I  questioned,  hoping  to 
cover  up  the  suspicion  which  my  first  words 
had  raised.  "  You  will  doubtless  appoint  me 
as  able  an  assistant." 

"  Not  so  handsome  a  one.  Captain  Middle- 
ton,"  the  pirate  answered,  smiling  grimly. 
"  Cayman,  we  call  him  because  of  his  cavernous 
mouth  and  the  great  distance  that  he  can  fling 
open  his  huge  jaws.  He  is  the  devil  who  so 
admireth  the  fine  shape  of  your  lordship's  legs." 

"  Give  him  me,  Master  Mate,  for  I  do  love 
all  who  admire  my  beauty  with  a  love  that 
passes  the  understanding  of  most  men.  Make 
me  a  captain  that  he  may  serve  my  mate.  I 
would  change  places  with  Captain  Middleton 
and  I'll  warrant  that  we'd  sail  this  galleon  most 

192 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

gaily  into  port,  my  mate  and  I.     Make  me  her 
captain,  Sir  Pirate." 

"  No,  my  lord,"  the  mate  replied,  regarding 
him  with  such  an  alertness  as  I  had  seen  gleam 
in  the  eyes  of  a  snake  when  it  was  about  to 
strike.  '  The  command  of  a  pirate's  prize  is 
not  a  domain  suited  to  your  talent.  We  have 
need  of  your  services  on  board  the  York.  Its 
captain  is  mad  from  fever  and  may  need  your 
handsome  face  and  soft  hands — I'll  warrant, 
my  lord,  that  your  hands  are  as  soft  as  they 
are  white — to  soothe  his  ravings.  If  you  had 
but  the  training,  you'd  make  a  most  skilful 
nurse  I  doubt  not,  my  lord.  As  skilful  as  your 
sister  is  at  swordplay,  mayhap.  I  have  travelled 
much  in  France  and  have  some  few  friends  at 
court  from  whom  I  have  heard  much  of  your 
lordship's  sister,  Mistress  Antoinette  Hugue- 
nin." 

He  leaned  forward  gazing  keenly  into  my 
lord's  eyes.  If  he  expected  to  gain  aught  from 
either  those  eyes  or  from  that  face  he  got  it 
not.  The  eyes  that  met  his  were  like  great  dark 
pools,  sunlit  and  sparkling.  The  color  in  the 
face  neither  lessened  nor  increased,  nor  was 
there  the  slightest  movement  of  a  muscle. 

"  Then,"  said  my  lord,  "  you  marvel  not 
that  I  want  near  me  those  who  love  well  my 

193 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

handsome  face  and  fine  shape.  Tis  court 
gossip  about  Mistress  Antoinette,  and  her  love 
of  admiration.  I  would  be  your  Cayman's  cap 
tain,  Master  Pirate,  and  hear  him  praise  my 
beauty." 

"  That  cannot  be,  my  lord,"  the  mate  re 
plied,  and  though  I  saw  he  was  baffled,  I  saw 
also  by  the  gleam  in  his  eye  that  he  had  not 
given  up.  "  This  galleon  is  a  great  prize  and 
has  need  of  an  older  head  to  sail  her." 

"  But  the  merchantman ;  who  commands  the 
merchantman?  "  my  lord  persisted. 

"  She  was  badly  disabled  in  the  fight,  my 
lord,  and  when  we  have  stripped  her  we  will 
leave  her  in  flames.  Would  you  bestow  your 
two  sleek  Jesuits  under  her  hatches?" 

"  Nay,  nay,  Master  Mate,"  he  cried,  laugh 
ing  in  high  good  humor.  "  I  must  keep  the 
fathers  for  the  salvation  of  my  soul.  Though 
I  be  the  Grand  Turk  of  your  continent,  I  would 
not  forego  the  joys  of  the  life  to  come.  I  will 
take  the  fathers  and  the  rest  of  my  cattle  with 
me  on  board  the  York.  I  will  be  your  mate, 
Sir  Pirate,  do  good  service  and  beat  my  men 
roundly  if  they  work  not  to  my  liking;  but 
there  will  be  hours  of  ease,  and  I  must  have  my 
sweet  loves  with  me." 

He  went  gaily  over  to  the  group  of  prisoners 
and  later,  as  I  busied  myself  in  the  duties  of 

194 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

the  position  assigned  me,  I  saw  him  enjoying 
his  sport — chucking  the  women  under  their 
chins,  kissing  them,  pinching  their  cheeks,  chas 
ing  the  more  timid  here  and  there  about  the 
poop  deck  in  his  efforts  to  embrace  them,  touch 
ing  the  fathers  with  the  point  of  his  sword, 
flashing  it  before  their  eyes,  and  swearing  like 
any  trooper  if  they  started  back  or  so  much 
as  winked  their  eyes  because  of  its  too  near 
approach  to  their  noses. 

Once  when  I  heard  his  peals  of  joyous 
laughter  joined  in  by  cries  and  shouts  from 
the  pirates,  I  turned  and  saw  that  he  made 
the  fattest  of  the  friars  dance  a  merry  jig,  for 
cing  him  to  it  by  blows  from  the  flat  of  his 
sword,  and  by  jeering  words  and  strange 
curses.  Now  this  way,  now  that,  the  panting 
father  footed  it;  with  skirts  held  high  he  went 
skipping  through  all  the  whirls  and  turnings, 
hopping  nimbly  over  the  sword  when  my  lord 
presented  it.  And  I'll  warrant  the  wildest 
young  gallant  of  King  Louis'  court  could  not 
have  laughed  louder  or  urged  on  the  priests 
with  more  taunting  words  than  did  this  young 
lordling.  I  looked  on  wonderingly  and  joined 
with  my  pirate  crew  in  their  cheers  at  his  folly. 

Since  I  had  waked  and  found  myself  out  of 
that  iron  cage  at  Augustine,  I  had  seen  many 
strange  and  curious  things,  and  had  many  ex- 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

periences  that  no  man  in  his  senses  could  have 
conjured  up  in  his  brain.  In  my  not  too  long 
life  I  had  learned  many  lessons  and  was  like 
to  be  taught  many  more,  but  I  knew  that  I 
would  never  have  such  another  teacher  as  him 
who  had  brought  the  manners  and  dress  of  the 
French  court  amongst  the  buccaneers  of  Amer 
ica.  For  steadfast  courage,  with  every  breath 
he  drew  he  gave  a  proof  that  grew  constantly 
greater;  for  his  faithfulness  to  his  friends  I 
had  but  to  call  to  mind  my  own  rescue  and 
that  of  the  women  who  sat  on  board  the  York; 
for  his  sympathy  for  mankind,  even  those  of  the 
race  who  had  brought  him  to  this  plight,  the 
group  of  helpless  creatures  whom  he  had  saved 
from  a  fate  worse  than  death  evidenced;  for 
folly  and  mad  daring,  and  all  that  beseemed  a 
wild  roisterer — I  turned  away,  shrugging  the 
shoulders  of  my  understanding.  The  inconsist 
ency  of  it  all  passed  my  powers  of  compre 
hension. 

When  next  I  saw  my  lord,  he  was  forcing 
his  playthings  over  my  bulwarks  and  to  the 
deck  of  the  York.  Some  he  urged  with  kisses 
and  some  by  less  gentle  means.  Fanciful  oaths 
flowed  from  his  smiling  lips  and  he  shouted 
boastingly  to  the  mate  who  stood  on  the  quarter 
deck  of  the  pirate.  Seeing  me  he  exclaimed : 

"  I  drive  my  cattle  from  your  deck,  Captain 

196 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

Middleton.  Though  they  know  that  they  go 
to  safety  and  the  bliss  of  my  caresses  they  are 
loath  to  quit  your  ship.  They  are  as  like  all 
other  women  for  contrariness  as  are  black-eyed 
peas  one  to  another." 

"  You  could  scarce  expect  them  to  hasten 
fast,  my  lord,"  I  made  answer,  walking  quite 
up  to  where  he  stood,  "  when  you  urge  them  on 
with  your  kisses. 

"  My  kisses!"  he  cried.  "  Yea,  but  one  re 
fused  my  kisses.  That  black-eyed  wench  with 
the  trim  waist,  she  outwomans  them  all  for 
perverseness.  She  will  have  none  of  my  kisses. 
I  esteem  her  the  more  for  her  taste,  for  by 
my  faith  were  I  another  and  had  my  will  I'd 
not  accept  my  kisses." 

The  smile  had  left  his  lips  and  his  eyes  were 
pensive  to  sadness.  We  stood  quite  alone.  He 
laid  his  hand  on  the  bulwark  about  to  follow 
his  prisoners. 

"  There  be  those  among  your  audience,  my 
lord,  who  would  be  blithe  to  kiss  the  dust  be 
neath  your  feet,"  I  told  him,  and  I  think  my 
voice  trembled  for  a  cruel  hand  seemed  griping 
my  heart  because  I  thought  he  doubted  the  part 
he  played  and  how  it  appeared  to  others. 

He  threw  up  his  head  with  a  gay  laugh ;  then 
he  scaled  the  bulwarks  and  turned  back  facing 
me. 

197 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

"  I  sought  to  teach  you  a  lesson  this  morning 
on  the  quarter-deck  and  found  you  but  a  dull 
pupil.  Captain  Middleton," he  exclaimed,  so  loud 
that  the  mate  must  needs  hear.  "  Have  a  care, 
sir,  how  you  cross  my  purpose,  or  I  will  lesson 
you  as  you  saw  me  do  the  mate.  When  that 
time  comes  I  will  not  spare  you,  that  I'll  war 
rant." 


198 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 


IT  was  near  nightfall  when  our  dead,  hav 
ing  been  buried  in  the  sea  and  our  grap 
pling  irons  cast  loose,  we  set  sail  for 
the  pirates'  stronghold.  From  out  the  mer 
chantman  there  crept  a  thin  white  smoke  that 
increased  both  in  volume  and  blackness 
as  the  breadth  of  darkening  waters  between 
us  widened  swiftly.  From  my  own  deck 
I  watched  the  fire  spread.  First  a  yellow 
flickering  flame  that  seemed  hardly  of  the 
bigness  of  a  man's  hand;  then  it  came  again 
and  another  with  it;  then  another  and  another, 
until  they  mounted  up  so  fast  and  fiercely  that 
I  ceased  to  count.  From  gold  they  changed  to 
blood-red,  shot  high  in  the  air  and  caught  the 
rigging.  Like  some  terrible  living  monster 
they  leaped  up,  spreading  over  the  sails,  and 
from  the  topmast  streamed  up  a  fierce  tongue 
towards  the  black  heavens. 

We  sailed  under  a  heaven,  moon-lit  and  star 
lit,  but  over  that  burning  ship  there  was  naught 
but  blackness.  From  stem  to  stern,  from 

I99 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    YOUNG 

water's  edge  to  the  top  of  her  crumbling  spars 
she  was  a  glowing  mass  of  red,  orange,  and 
gold.  As  she  drifted,  or  as  at  times  the  breeze 
changed,  the  smoke  enveloped  her  and  she  ap 
peared  a  ship  all  rose-colored  from  the  rays  of 
a  rising  sun.  Then  she  veered  again  and 
seemed  sailing  down  toward  us  like  some  hor 
rible  monster,  her  hull  and  spars  dead-black  and 
her  sails  and  streamers  blood-red.  The  smoke 
came  down  and  melting  into  the  sea  hid  her 
shape,  and  the  glare  of  the  flames  that  devoured 
her  was  the  yawning  mouth  of  hell  from  which 
we  fled.  We  left  her  far  behind  and  when  she 
seemed  but  a  bright  glow  on  that  line  where 
sky  and  sea  flow  together  I  left  off  watching 
and  heaved  a  great  sigh  of  relief  that  there  had 
been  no  human  creatures  left  to  perish  on  her. 
I  knew  to  whose  courage  it  was  due  that  such 
was  the  case  and  in  the  depths  of  my  heart  I 
thanked  God  that  he  had  sent  me  a  captive 
among  Indians,  left  me  a  prisoner  in  Augus 
tine,  to  be  hung  in  their  iron  cage  and  rescued 
by  pirates  since  through  these  I  had  come  to 
know  the  greatness  of  one  loyal  human  heart, 
whose  true  nobleness  there  were  not  words  in 
any  language  great  enough  to  describe. 

The  sun  rose  clear  and  the  gleaming  sea 
sprang  up  in  little  waves  as  though  to  meet  in 
very  gladness  the  cool  breeze  that  kissed  its 

200 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

face.  I  walked  the  deck  of  that  galleon,  its 
captain;  the  crew  who  served  under  my  orders 
were  pirates  and  the  black  flag  fluttered  over 
her  poop  atop  of  St.  George's  ensign.  My  order 
was  to  follow  the  York  close  and  it  suited  well 
the  inclination  of  my  heart.  I  let  not  the 
ribbon  of  changing  water  grow  too  wide  be 
tween  us  and  my  eyes  were  ever  busy  with  her 
deck.  I  saw  him  whose  bright  clothes  made 
him  resemble  more  than  aught  else  some  bril 
liantly  colored  butterfly,  come  on  to  the  poop 
deck  with  two  more  soberly  clad  figures  and 
my  heart  sang.  A  night  had  passed,  another 
day  had  come,  and  he  still  held  his  power  over 
the  savages  who  surrounded  him.  I  put  my 
glasses  to  my  eyes  to  spy  upon  the  two  who 
had  come  upon  the  deck  with  him. 

"  The  young  fighting-cock  is  on  deck  again, 
sir,"  came  the  voice  of  the  pirate  who  served  as 
my  mate,  and  I  remembered  that  other  pirate 
and  the  suspicion  in  his  eyes  when  I  had  last 
seen  him  gaze  into  my  lord's  face. 

"  I  look  at  the  point  of  land  to  the  sou'east," 
I  answered  and  handed  him  my  glasses  and 
roughly  bade  him  tell  me  if  he  knew  its  form. 

"  You  have  monstrous  fine  eyes,  Captain," 
he  exclaimed  when  he  had  told  me  what  land 
it  was  and  looked  through  my  glasses  the  sec 
ond  time.  "  I  saw  not  the  faintest  glimmer  of 

201 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

land  when  you  first  spoke  and  even  now  with 
out  the  glass  it  seems  but  the  shadow  of  a 
cloud." 

"  It  was  plainly  visible,"  I  told  him,  though 
in  truth  I  had  not  the  faintest  suspicion  of  its 
existence  until  the  glasses  that  I  destined  for 
quite  another  purpose  flashed  it  into  view.  "  I 
only  use  the  glasses  to  draw  it  nearer." 

I  took  them  from  his  hand  as  the  man  on 
the  lookout  gave  the  cry  that  told  all  on  board 
that  land  was  sighted.  There  would  be  no  tales 
carried  of  my  action  on  this  day,  thank  God! 
I  put  my  glasses  to  my  eyes  and  again  turning 
them  towards  the  point  that  was  rapidly  grow 
ing  up  from  the  sea  focused  them  on  the  faces 
at  no  greater  distance  than  the  deck  of  the 
pirate  ship.  I  was  not  surprised  at  the  features 
that  they  brought  to  me,  although  I  remembered 
well  the  words  of  Count  Huguenin  at  our  first 
meeting  on  that  same  poop  deck :  "  My  aunt 
you  have  never  seen,  Captain  Middleton,  and 
her  black  serving  woman  who  also  you  are  yet 
to  set  eyes  upon  for  the  first  time." 

I  turned  about  and  with  threats  and  curses 
that  well  befitted  the  part  I  played  ordered  my 
men  back  to  their  work.  Then  with  a  smile 
in  my  heart,  though  I  dare  not  wear  it  on  my 
face,  I  went  contentedly  to  my  duties  as  cap 
tain  of  the  pirates'  prize. 

202 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

"The  York  has  the  devil  of  a  mate,"  I 
heard  one  pirate  exclaim  to  another.  My  back 
was  towards  the  ship  of  which  they  talked  but 
I  would  not  turn.  "  Look  at  the  young  lord- 
ling  now." 

"Aye,  and  what  is  he  about?"  his  fellow 
questioned.  "  He  climbs  like  a  cat." 

"  Cat?  "  the  first  man  sneered.  "  As  a  devil 
say  I.  He  climbs  as  he  fights  and  does  all 
else  I'll  warrant,  the  young  imp.  But  why 
climbs  he  in  the  rigging?  " 

"  Tis  his  humor,  fool,"  the  other  answered. 
"  Naught  else  could  make  him  stir  hand  or 
foot  or  open  or  shut  his  red  lips." 

Then  I  turned  and  seeing  them  loitering 
swore  at  them  fiercely. 

"  I  did  but  watch  the  young  lord,  Captain," 
replied  the  younger  of  the  two,  motioning  to 
wards  the  pirate  craft.  He  was  a  Frenchman 
about  whose  broken  head  was  swathed  a  breadth 
torn  from  a  woman's  delicately  wrought  petti 
coat.  "  My  father  is  a  poor  man  and  I  was 
brought  up  in  the  country  and  never  saw  a 
court  gallant  until  this  one.  You  have  been  at 
court,  sir,  and  mayhap  have  seen  the  English 
king.  Are  all  his  gallants  as  beautiful  as  our 
count,  and  as  ready  to  fight?" 

I  shook  my  head,  smiling  at  the  knave's  pro 
noun  of  possession.  "  I  have  seen  many  court 

203 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

gallants,"  I  told  him,  "  but  not  one  to  com 
pare  with  your  young  French  count.  What 
does  he,  sitting  in  the  rigging?" 

Before  he  could  reply  I  was  answered  by  the 
notes  of  a  rollicking  song  sung  by  a  rich  voice 
in  which  there  was  both  sweetness  and  strength. 
Though  I  could  distinguish  few  of  its  words 
the  air  was  so  filled  with  the  bragging  swagger 
of  a  dare-devil  roisterer  that  I  joined  in  the 
loud  laughter  of  my  crew  and  whea  it  finished 
cheered  with  them  in  applause.  We  waited 
in  a  silence  broken  only  by  the  wash  of  the 
waves  as  our  ship  cut  her  way  through  the 
sparkling  water.  Then  the  voice  of  the  pirate 
mate — of  him  who  served  as  captain — cried 
out: 

"  Sing  another,  my  lord.  It  is  long  since  I 
have  heard  a  court  ditty  and  never  one  sung 
in  a  voice  like  your  own.  Give  us  another,  my 
lord." 

"  Aye,  aye !  "  shouted  the  crew  of  the  pirate. 
"  Aye,  aye !  "  the  men  on  the  galleon  answered. 

He  sang  again,  a  ballad  in  which  there  was 
all  of  light  and  love  and  laughter.  And  the 
men  cheered  bravely  at  the  sound  of  its  Eng 
lish  words.  His  humor  changed  and  there 
floated  out  to  us  as  soft  as  the  breathings  of  a 
flower. 

"'The  Lord  is  my  Shepherd,  I  shall  not 

204 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

want.  He  maketh  me,  He  maketh  me  to  lie 
down  in  green  pastures, — ' 

Brawny,  sunburnt,  scarred  men  listened,  and 
through  the  blood-red  haze  of  a  thousand  crimes 
the  faces  and  scenes  of  their  innocent  childhood 
came  as  a  softening  memory.  It  carried  me 
back  to  England.  Again  I  was  a  child  at  my 
mother's  knee,  looking  up  into  her  tender  eyes 
with  all  the  love  and  trust  that  were  in  my 
childish  heart;  then  I  was  a  lad,  a  boy  grown 
out  of  that  innocence,  at  school  with  other  boys 
— now  at  play  in  sunny  courts,  now  droning 
lessons  over  much  scarred  tables,  now  sitting  in 
the  solemn  dusk  of  the  chapel  forced  to  listen 
to  the  priest  and  wishing  to  be  out  on  the  river 
or  on  the  greensward ;  again  the  scene  changed 
and  I  stared  round-eyed  at  the  long-visaged, 
solemnly  dressed  soldiers  that  followed  him  at 
whose  bidding  the  head  of  an  English  king 
rolled  in  the  dust.  I  had  been  a  small  boy  in 
those  days  but  the  singing  of  those  words 
brought  it  back  as  though  it  had  all  happened 
yesterday. 

Then  it  took  me  back  to  my  life  at  court, 
as  wild  as  any  of  the  reckless  swaggerers  about 
me.  I  had  my  fling  with  the  wildest  roisterers 
of  my  breeding  and  quality  and  enjoyed  it  right 
well.  The  death  of  that  gentle-faced  mother 
snapped  the  cord  that  bound  me  to  the  old  world 

205 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

and,  along  with  other  swaggerers,  I  cast  my  lot 
in  the  new.  It  was  a  rare  picture,  my  coming 
to  the  beautiful  and  savage  new  world.  I  saw 
the  great  rivers,  the  harbors  and  its  cluster  of 
small  houses;  beyond  them  all  was  forest,  for 
est,  forest,  with  great  moss-draped  trees,  strange 
flowers,  strange  birds,  strange  animals,  and 
stranger  people.  I  saw  my  house,  my  neigh 
bor,  my  neighbor's  house  in  which  there  always 
played  a  little  maid  with  great  black,  hawk 
eyes — a  child  whom,  as  I  sat  and  watched  her, 
I  often  questioned  was  she  more  human  or  elfin  ? 
Then  followed  my  later  vision  of  her  and  the 
trust  she  had  laid  upon  me.  The  adventures 
that  followed,  the  tortures,  the  coming  of  him 
whose  voice  was  my  light  and  my  deliverance 
and  who — thinking  of  all  that  I  had  seen  him 
do  and  heard  him  say — again  in  my  heart  I 
questioned  was  he  human  or  elfin  in  spirit? 

"  '  Though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the 
shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil,  for 
thou— '  " 

"  He  will  make  women  of  us  all  if  he  keeps 
this  up,"  I  heard  the  voice  of  my  gunner  say, 
and  he  was  reproved  by  his  fellows  into  silence. 

But  they  had  their  trouble  for  their  pains. 
My  lord  had  had  his  fill  of  psalm  singing,  and 
before  the  last  word  had  formed  an  echo  I 
heard  him  shouting  his  commands  to  that  half- 

206 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

witted  kitchen  boy  who  had  formed  his  especial 
body-guard  since  his  coming  aboard  the  ship, 
in  a  tone  in  which  there  was  nothing  softer 
than  haughty  passion. 

We  saw  the  man  he  threatened  clamber 
hastily  up  the  rigging  to  him,  stretch  out  a 
bare  arm — there  was  a  flash. 

"  My  lord  has  lost  his  humor  for  singing 
and  would  smoke  his  roll  of  tobacco  swinging 
in  the  rigging,"  one  of  my  pirates  remarked  as 
he  drew  the  spider's  tooth  from  his  own  tobacco 
pouch  and  leisurely  cleaning  his  pipe,  called  to 
his  fellows  to  leave  off  their  staring  and  come 
back  to  their  seats  in  the  shade  to  begin  again 
the  two  occupations  that  I  never  knew  to  cease 
to  amuse  them  or  any  other  man  who  had  ever 
shipped  before  the  mast — gaming  and  smoking. 

We  sailed  past  that  land  sighted  at  sunrise — 
a  tiny  island  whose  one  hill  shone  under  the 
noonday  sun  like  a  peak  of  purest  gold.  Then 
we  came  to  many  others  both  great  and  small 
but  we  stopped  not,  for  Spanish  sails  often 
came  that  way  and  we  were  not  fnanned  for 
fighting,  but  hastened  to  make  our  home 
port  where  the  prize  could  be  divided,  the 
wounded  tended  and  the  damage  made  by  our 
own  and  Spanish  shots  repaired. 

At  sunset  we  came  in  sight  of  two  sails,  a 
galleon  near  as  great  as  the  one  on  which  I 

207 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

stood  and  a  caravel.  They  belonged  to  the  plate 
fleet  of  the  Indies,  that  fleet  whose  yearly  sail 
ing  was  most  anxiously  looked  forward  to  both 
by  the  king  of  Spain  and  the  buccaneers  of 
America.  I  saw  the  eyes  of  the  pirates  glisten 
with  greed,  and  heard  deep  swearing  at  the 
chance  that  had  lost  them  their  comrades  on 
board  the  merchantman  and  put  them  in  such 
a  sorry  plight  that  they  dared  not  give  such 
prizes  battle  but  must  skulk  into  a  protecting 
channel  and  thus  make  their  own  escape. 

The  night  passed  as  cloudless  and  beautiful 
as  the  day  and  almost  as  bright.  In  a  mistless 
dawn  I  looked  out  and  beheld  so  many  islands 
that  I  could  not  have  numbered  them  on  the 
fingers  of  one  hand;  some  near  and  some  far, 
like  clouds  they  floated  on  the  bosom  of  a 
blood-red  sea.  The  water  changed  to  pure  gold, 
then  to  amethyst,  shot  with  brightest  blue  and 
palest  green.  The  gay  colors  of  the  court 
butterfly  showed  on  the  deck  of  the  pirate  and 
my  heart  laughed  with  the  sunlit  waves. 

We  passed  near  land  but  saw  no  living  thing 
save  the  scarlet  and  green  birds  in  the  trees 
and  the  wild  creatures  that  lay  on  the  beach  or 
fed  on  the  hillsides.  Then,  as  we  came  from 
out  a  little  strait  between  two  islands  there 
stretched  before  us  an  indented  line  of  verdure. 

208 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

From  the  throats  of  all  on  board  the  pirate  and 
the  galleon  there  went  up  a  lusty  shout.  I 
knew  we  had  sighted  our  haven, — that  island 
upon  which  the  great  Genoese  was  the  first  to 
look  and  by  this  warrant  claim  for  his  ungrate 
ful  countrymen  the  possession  of  the  vast  riches 
and  boundless  country  of  the  New  World. 

There  are  no  colors,  no  words  bright  enough 
to  paint  the  beauties  of  that  Indian  island  and 
the  waters  through  which  we  sailed.  Flying 
fish  glided  by  us,  bonitos  and  albicores  played 
around  the  bows,  dolphins  gleamed  in  our 
wake,  often  sharks  and  once  a  whale,  emerald- 
colored  and  huge,  kept  us  company.  The  beach 
was  a  silver  strand  fringed  with  evergreen, 
drooping  mangroves,  and  long  shrouding  ave 
nues  of  the  dark  green  leaves  of  the  stately 
manchineel,  beautiful  but  noxious,  the  white 
wood,  the  forest  trees  that  grew  farther  in 
land,  knotted  and  bound  together  with  luxur 
iant  festoons  of  evergreen  creepers  that  con 
nected  them  in  one  vast  network  of  leaves  and 
branches. 

We  had  glimpses  of  numerous  monkeys 
swinging  and  climbing  in  the  tree-tops,  and 
flocks  of  birds,  bright  colored  and  clamorous. 
Once  we  passed  on  the  beach  a  huge  turtle 
making  its  ponderous  way  back  to  the  water, 

209 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

while  still  farther  on,  down  the  same  stretch  of 
sand  some  little  animals  that  I  could  not  name 
frolicked  in  the  sunlight,  now  in  now  out  of 
the  water. 


2IO 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 


AT  the  entrance  of  the  bay  on  which  was 
situated  the  buccaneers'  fastness,  were 
two  islands  extending  from  east  to 
west.  The  one  toward  the  east  my  mate  told 
me  was  called  Watch  Isle,  because  of  the  high 
hill  in  the  middle  on  which  they  had  built  a 
watch-house;  the  one  to  the  west  was  Pigeon 
Island,  on  account  of  the  great  number  of  these 
birds  that  inhabited  it.  Between  these  two 
islands  ran  a  long  and  swift  channel  of  fresh 
water,  the  only  entrance  to  the  harbor,  as  I 
afterwards  proved,  that  was  of  sufficient  depth 
to  allow  of  the  passage  of  any  besides  the  small 
est  boats.  On  Pigeon  Island  loomed  a  grim  cas 
tle,  the  purpose  of  which  I  needed  no  telling, 
and  under  whose  guns,  a  vessel  sailing  in  or 
out,  was  forced  by  great  sand-banks. 

That  our  passage  into  the  harbor  was  noticed 
I  could  tell  from  the  numerous  heads  that 
peered  down  upon  us  from  the  castle;  that,  see 
ing  the  captured  galleon,  they  rated  the  enter- 

21  I 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

prise  successful  was  proved  by  the  loud  cheers 
they  sent  after  us. 

"  I  thought  ye  would  go  to  heaven  this  trip, 
devil,"  a  great  voice  bellowed. 

"  Give  me  hell,"  was  the  blasphemous  reply 
of  the  old  pirate,  who  sailed  as  my  ship-master 
and  who  in  his  young  days  had  served  as  sol 
dier  under  Turenne  in  the  Fronde  war.  'Tis 
a  merrier  place  than  heaven  and  at  the  entrance 
I'll  stand  until  I  give  Tom  Hawkins  a  salute  of 
thirteen  guns." 

"  Has  he  gone  there,  then?  "  another  savage 
yelled. 

"  No,  ye  land  rogue,"  was  shouted  back  from 
aboard  the  York.  "  But  when  he  does  he  will 
take  thee  with  him  to  carry  his  crutch,  for  the 
new  surgeon  has  sawed  off  his  leg." 

From  the  swiftly  moving  current  of  the  strait 
we  passed  into  a  clear  green  lake,  the  harbor 
of  the  pirates'  stronghold.  It  was  itself  a 
stronghold,  by  reason  of  the  stretches  of  gleam 
ing  sand  that  winded  here  and  there  like  the  coils 
of  a  great  serpent,  now  out,  now  under  the  water. 
Sea  birds  skimmed  upon  the  placid  surface,  and 
red  flamingoes  stalked  around  the  sandy  shoals, 
while  great  alligators  wallowed  on  the  muddy 
banks  and  snowy  pelicans  held  their  torpid 
councils  in  solemn  stupidity. 

From  the  water's  edge  sloped  green  undulat- 

212 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

ing  fields  of  maize  and  tobacco,  and  stretches 
of  great  trees  vine  wreathed  and  laden  with 
gorgeous  colored  blossoms  above  whose  tops 
waved  feathery  palms,  their  heavy  fruit  glis 
tening  like  polished  gold.  Farther  inland  a 
range  of  mountains  rose  precipitously,  their 
peaks  snow-capped  and  dazzling  white. 

On  the  farther  side  of  the  lake  from  the 
channel  and  somewhat  to  the  east  was  the  city, 
a  cluster  of  about  two  hundred  not  too  tall 
houses,  defended  at  the  rear  by  tall  palisades 
banked  with  earth,  and  on  the  water  front  by 
a  great  stone  fort  from  whose  tower  floated 
two  great  flags.  One  showed  the  lilies  of 
France  while  the  other  was  of  the  same  sombre 
hue  as  that  which  waved  above  my  ship. 

Heading  now  this  way,  now  that,  to  avoid 
the  dangers  of  the  sand-banks,  we  came  at  last 
to  anchor  and  with  such  of  my  crew  as  had 
been  named  by  the  pirate  who  acted  as  captain 
of  the  York,  I  went  ashore  in  our  long  boat. 
The  people  who  swarmed  down  to  meet  us 
looked  a  savage  crowd  in  their  motley  dress. 
The  women — of  whom  there  was  a  small 
sprinkling — were  as  gaudy  as  the  birds  that  we 
had  seen  in  the  forest  robed  in  silks  and  velvets 
whose  richness  ill  accorded  with  their  sunburnt 
faces  and  their  ungentle  ways.  The  huge 
beards  of  the  men  with  their  long  hair  falling 

213 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

wildly  over  their  shoulders,  increased  the 
ferocity  of  their  appearance  in  their  blood 
stained  shirts,  short  breeches,  bare  legs  and 
leathern  sandals.  These  fierce  creatures  I  knew 
to  be  the  hunters  of  the  colony,  from  the  knife 
case  of  cayman  skin  and  the  roll  of  mosquito 
net  that  hung  from  their  waists.  The  planters, 
like  the  women,  were  bedecked  in  all  the  splen 
dors  rummaged  from  the  Spanish  cabins,  while 
the  few  sea-rovers  among  them  combined  rich 
borrowings  with  their  rough  garments  in  a 
manner  most  amazing.  One  heathen  who  ran 
down  to  assist  at  our  landing,  and  whose  great 
body  was  bare  to  his  waist,  wore  a  laced  sword- 
belt  of  great  richness;  atop  his  shock  of  tangled 
hair  he  wore  a  broad  velvet  hat  heavily  plumed, 
while  over  the  rough  unclean  shirt  of  another 
flowed  a  steinkirk  of  lace  as  rich  as  that  worn 
by  my  lord. 

"  You  are  a  stranger,  sir,  yet  you  come  among 
us  with  a  bold  step,"  a  stout  man  said  to  me 
as  I  left  the  boat.  His  cheeks  were  as  plump  as 
pulpit  cushions  and  under  his  chin  there  were 
great  rolls  of  fat.  He  was  dressed  in  crimson 
damask;  a  red  feather  flaunted  in  his  cocked 
hat;  on  his  breast  blazed  a  diamond  cross,  that 
hung  on  a  thick  gold  chain  wound  around  his 
neck.  He  rested  on  an  unsheathed  sword,  and 
had  two  pairs  of  pistols  hanging  pirate-fashion 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

in  a  silk  sling  over  his  shoulders.  I  walked  into 
the  crowd  at  the  head  of  my  pirate  crew,  myself 
as  savage  looking  as  any  among  them,  I'll  war 
rant,  and  replied  to  his  questionable  salutation. 

"  I  am  an  Englishman,  your  Honor,"  I  said, 
for  I  judged  him  to  be  the  Governor  by  the 
respectful  bearing  of  those  who  stood  around 
him  as  well  as  the  dignity  of  his  manner  and 
the  richness  of  his  dress.  "  I  am  a  citizen  of 
Charleston,  in  the  province  of  Carolina,  and 
was  rescued  by  your  friends  from  the  iron  cage 
of  Augustine." 

"  He  fought  like  the  devil  with  us  against 
the  Spaniards,  your  Honor,"  the  gunner  of  my 
crew  cried,  when  I  had  ceased  to  speak.  "  They 
pressed  us  hard  but  we  sent  the  last  man  to  hell 
and  sailed  away, — " 

He  went  on  giving  details  of  the  fight  and 
the  amount  of  treasure  captured,  but  my  eyes 
and  ears  were  so  busy  on  another  errand  that 
I  did  not  attend.  The  twro  long  boats  of  the 
pirate  ship  were  coming  ashore.  They  were 
heavily  laden  with  human  freight  and  came 
but  slowly.  In  the  bottom  of  the  one  in  which 
stood  the  mate,  crouched  the  fat  priests  and 
the  two  old  Spanish  women  prisoners,  while  in 
the  other  sat  the  four  young  women  with  my 
lord's  English  aunt  and  her  black  serving 
woman.  My  lord  stood  in  the  bow  and  those 

215 


WHEN    the    LAND    -was    YOUNG 

on  the  shore  gazed  at  him  in  wonder  as  they 
listened  to  the  account  of  his  adventures  and 
of  his  daring  and  bravery  as  told  by  the  gunner 
of  the  galleon. 

"  Did  you  not  learn  his  name,  Captain  Mid- 
dleton?"  the  Governor  asked,  "The  name  of 
this  young  gallant  of  King  Louis'  court  to 
whom  you  owe  your  rescue,  and  who  accord 
ing  to  your  crew  had  the  bravery  of  Montbars, 
the  Exterminator,  even  if  he  has  not  Mont- 
bars'  hatred  for  the  Spaniards  ?  " 

"  I  know  only  that  which  is  known  to  all 
who  sailed  with  him,  your  Honor,"  I  replied. 
''  To  us  all  he  is  known — " 

The  boats  grated  on  the  sand,  and  my  lord 
springing  out  strode  up  the  bank  ahead  of  the 
mate. 

"  Monsieur  D'Oyeron,"  he  cried,  his  hat  in 
his  hand  and  sweeping  him  of  the  red  damask 
a  gallant  bow,  "  though  you  remember  me 
not  I  stood  at  your  side  and  played  with  the 
lace  of  your  sword  belt  when  you  came  with 
the  commissioners  of  your  company  praying 
the  king  to  sanction  your  governor's  warrant." 

"  My  lord,"  the  Governor  cried,  with  all  def 
erence,  backing  before  him  and  bowing  low, 
"  though  I  remember  not  your  face  I  cannot 
doubt  your  lordship's  word." 

"  Yet  I  was  of  that  same  gay  company,  your 

216 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

Honor,"  my  lord  assured  him.  "  And  I  saw 
that  the  King  showed  you  small  favor  until 
Madam  de  Montespan  urged  him,  '  Sign  the 
warrant  and  send  them  away,  Sire/  she  said. 
'  I  would  see  you  play  at  swords  with  the  pretty 
youth.'  I  was  that  pretty  youth,  your  Honor, 
and  I  stood  at  your  side  as  you  knelt  to  receive 
your  warrant  from  the  hands  of  the  Grand 
Monarque." 

"  Those  were  her  very  words,  my  lord,"  the 
Governor  cried,  and  I  saw  the  deference  in  his 
manner  increase,  while  the  people  crowded 
about  him,  trod  on  each  other's  heels,  and 
craned  their  necks,  that  they  might  the  better 
view  one  who  had  stood  so  near  a  king.  "  And 
I  remember  the  gallant  figure  you  cut  and 
your  sword  with  its  jeweled  hilt,  which  they 
said  the  king  had  given  you.  That  is  four 
years  gone,  my  lord,  and  you  looked  a  slender 
youth  indeed.  Though  I  recall  all  else  I  do 
not  remember  that  I  learned  your  lordship's 
name." 

"  My  name,"  my  lord  answered,  looking  the 
Governor  squarely  in  the  eyes,  "  is  Uldric  Hu- 
guenin." 

"  My  lord,"  the  Governor  cried,  fiercely, 
starting  back,  his  sword  half  raised,  "  your 
father  is  my  bitterest  enemy." 

"  For  that  reason  I  told  you  my  name,"  my 

217 


WHEN    the    LAND    'was    TOUNG 

lord  replied,  meeting  his  gaze  of  hatred  with 
calm  eyes. 

'  You  are  daring,  sir,"  the  pirate  ruler  cried, 
glaring  at  him  and  fingering  the  hilt  of  the 
dagger  that  hung  at  his  belt. 

My  lord  stood  alone.  The  Governor's  peo 
ple  had  fallen  back  with  their  ruler  and  I  with 
the  mate  and  the  others  of  our  crew  who  had 
leaped  ashore,  held  the  position  at  one  side  that 
we  had  first  taken. 

'  That  a  son  inherits  his  mother's  spirit  is 
no  new  creed,  your  Honor,"  my  lord  replied, 
and  there  was  a  sneer  in  his  voice  that  he  took 
not  the  trouble  to  disguise. 

"  She  lost  much  and  died  of  a  broken  heart," 
the  Governor  snarled,  his  face  working  in  rage. 

"  She  gained  the  love  of  a  noble  gentleman 
and  died  a  happy  woman,"  my  lord  answered 
him. 

"  He  turned  her  from  her  duty  to  her  church 
and  her  parents  and  sent  her  soul  to  burn  in 
hell.  For  it,  I  have  sworn  to  cut  out  his  heretic 
heart,"  he  raged. 

"  His  son  stands  before  you,  your  Honor," 
my  lord  replied  with  mock  deference,  as  he  un 
sheathed  his  blade. 

'You  dare  me,  you  dog?"  the  buccaneer 
cried.  His  voice  was  a  bellow  of  rage,  his 
face  was  purple-red  and  his  lips  were  flecked 

218 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

with  foam,  as  he  rushed  forward  with  uplifted 
sword. 

I  sprang  towards  my  lord,  but  the  pirate 
giant  was  ahead  of  me. 

He  received  the  onsault  of  the  Governor  and 
with  his  cutlass  sent  his  sword  rattling  in  the 
dust. 

"  Alexandre  Bras  de  Fer?"  the  infuriated 
ruler  yelled. 

"  Yes,  your  Honor,"  the  mate  answered  an 
grily,  holding  his  ground  against  the  rush  that 
threatened  him.  "  Had  I  not  done  it  you  would 
have  fared  much  worse  at  the  hands  of  the 
young  count.  He  would  have  spitted  you  as 
sure  as  the  world  turns  and  would  have  fought 
every  man  of  your  following  without  once  cry 
ing  quarter." 

"  He  shall  have  no  quarter,"  the  Governor 
cried,  with  a  stream  of  filthy  oaths.  "  Nor 
shall  any  who  defend  him,  traitor!  Your 
weapons,  men!"  he  shouted,  grown  a  very 
madman  from  rage.  "  Flay  the  boasting  das 
tard  alive  and  spare  not  one  who  lifts  his  hand 
against  you !  " 

There  was  a  sullen  mutter,  the  suppressed 
roar  of  a  lion  before  it  springs.  The  mate,  my 
lord,  and  I,  we  three,  stood  shoulder  to 
shoulder  and  the  men  who  had  sailed  with  us 
pressed  hard  against  our  heels.  Two  score  we 

219 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

faced  two  hundred.  Then  I  saw  the  two  fa 
thers  gird  up  their  skirts  and  stepping  out  from 
amongst  the  group  of  cowering  women,  enter 
the  ranks  of  those  who,  weapons  in  hand, 
stood  ready  to  murder  us  or  drive  us  back  into 
the  sea. 

"  Look,  look,  look !  my  lord,"  cried  the 
mate,  lifting  his  giant  arm  and  pointing  to  the 
priests.  "  See  the  two  cringing  hypocrites  whom 
you  won  from  death  in  the  sea  by  your  good 
sword,  and  whom  you  would  not  have  me  leave 
under  hatches  on  our  burning  merchantman! 
They  know  you  their  deliverer,  yet  see  how 
they  have  turned  against  you  because  you  are 
a  heretic  and  on  the  side  they  think  the  weaker. 
Come  on!  brothers,  come  on!"  he  shouted, 
beckoning  to  certain  men  who  had  left  those 
that  pressed  about  the  Governor,  and  seemed 
about  to  cross  the  line.  '  There  are  heretics 
among  planters  and  hunters  as  well  as  sea- 
rovers — who  have  heard  of  a  certain  bloody 
St.  Bartholomew's  Day.  Aye,  verily,  many  of 
you  stand  here  to-day,  driven  from  your  homes 
and  your  fortunes  wrecked,  on  account  of  that 
Catholic  love-feast.  Come  on !  all  of  you. 
Show  your  colors,  since  his  Honor,  your  Gov 
ernor,  has  sworn  to  have  the  lives  of  all  here 
tics." 

"  You  lie,  you  ranting  villain,"  cried  the 

22O 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

Governor,  still  raging,  though  he  seemed  not 
so  wild  to  rush  on  us  since  he  saw  the  increase 
in  our  ranks  and  the  lessening  of  his  own.  "  I 
am  no  papist  as  all  know,  for  I  believe  not  in 
God  and  hate  all  priests.  It  is  the  young  game 
cock  that  ye  brought  with  ye.  His  father  is 
mine  own  accursed  enemy  and  I  will  have  his 
blood." 

"  What  has  his  father  done,  that  fearing  to 
face  him  you  would  murder  his  son,  when  he 
stands  in  your  own  city,  one  man  against  one 
thousand?"  the  mate  demanded,  scowling  at 
him. 

"  He  seduced  the  girl  I  would  have  married, 
curse  him,"  the  governor  replied,  grinding  his 
teeth  in  a  very  transport  of  baffled  rage. 

"  I  beg  that  you  touch  not  my  mother's  good 
name,  Monsieur  D'Oyeron,"  the  young  count 
said  haughtily,  stepping  out  from  between  the 
mate  and  me.  "  If  you  do  so,  I  will  have  your 
heart's  blood  were  you  King  Louis  himself. 
Gentlemen,"  he  said,  bowing  to  both  those  who 
stood  around  him  and  to  those  who  faced  him, 
and  I'll  warrant  there  were  many  among  them 
that  had  never  before  been  so  addressed,  "  my 
mother  and  father  were  lovers  when  they  were 
children,  but  because  lie  was  a  heretic  they 
would  not  give  her  to  him.  When  they  could 
not  force  her  to  wed  with  the  man  whom  you 

221 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

have  heard  make  his  blasphemous  boast  of  un 
belief,  they  shut  her  up  in  a  convent  and  would 
have  made  a  nun  of  her  had  not  my  father 
stolen  her  out  and  fled  with  her  to  England. 
There  he  married  her  and  would  have  taken  her 
to  Virginia,  but  by  force  of  circumstance  he  was 
landed  here,  and  lived  for  near  four  years 
among  the  buccaneers  of  Hispaniola." 

"What  is  your  name,  my  lord?"  asked  an 
old  man,  whom  I  judged  a  Dutchman,  and  who 
wore  the  dress  of  a  hunter,  stepping  from  out 
the  governor's  faction,  when  my  lord  had  ceased 
to  speak. 

"  Uldric  Huguenin,"  my  lord  replied  courte 
ously.  "  Hast  ever  heard  it  before?  " 

"  Yea,"  he  exclaimed.  "  I  knew  your  father 
and  your  mother  when  they  came  to  this  island, 
my  lord,  and  I  will  not  fight  against  their  son 
even  for  the  Governor.  There  be  few  Protes 
tants  in  this  land  or  in  any  other  who  have  not 
heard  the  name  of  Huguenin,  or  known  it  worn 
by  aught  but  valiant  men." 

"  I  thank  you,  sir,"  my  lord  said,  baring  his 
head  to  him.  "  At  another  time  I  would  talk 
with  you  further." 

Then  he  turned  again  towards  the  Governor. 

"  Monsieur  D'Oyeron,"  he  said  in  all  cour 
tesy,  "  when  but  a  stripling  I  wielded  a  sword 
that  King  Louis  himself  did  not  scorn  to  cross, 

222 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

as  you  well  know.  Since  then  my  wrist  has 
not  grown  stiff,  and  as  I  stand  the  younger  and 
somewhat  the  sprightlier  man,  Monsieur,  I 
would  have  them  bind  my  left  hand  behind  my 
back,  that  you  may  have  fair  play.  There  lies 
my  challenge,  Monsieur!"  and  he  flung  his 
glove  at  the  Governor's  feet. 

"  Boom !  "  went  the  great  gun  of  the  castle, 
and  we  left  off  staring  at  the  two  men  before 
us,  and  turned  to  find  a  reason  for  the  sound. 
A  great  ship  was  sailing  past  the  fortress  and 
into  the  lake. 

"  We  will  have  no  fight  to-day,  my  lord," 
the  mate  said,  after  we  had  stood  for  some  min 
utes  staring  at  the  approaching  sails.  "  Unless 
my  eyes  deceive  me  that  is  the  English  armed 
packet  Swallow  with  Sir  Henry  Morgan,  who 
comes  to  revisit  his  stronghold.  He  acts  the 
Governor  of  Jamaica  in  the  stead  of  my  lord  the 
Earl  of  Carlisle,  now  gone  to  England  in  search 
of  health.  Only  Morgan  would  sail  in  King 
James'  armed  ship  and  receive  a  salute  of  thir 
teen  guns  from  our  castle." 

"  'Tis  Morgan!"  another  cried  who  had 
been  looking  through  his  glasses.  "  'Tis  our 
admiral !  "  he  shouted,  and  the  whole  crowd, 
forgetful  of  their  recent  broil,  began  to  cheer  as 
though  like  to  split  their  throats. 

The  Governor  straightened  his  countenance 

223 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

and  began  crying  out  orders,  sending  men  run 
ning  now  this  way,  now  that,  making  busy 
preparations  for  this  honored  guest.  The  guns 
of  the  fort  began  to  salute  almost  before  the 
echo  of  those  from  the  castle  had  ceased  to  re 
verberate.  Every  man  was  busy  with  his  own 
affairs,  and  they  had  no  thoughts  for  my  lord 
or  his  challenge. 

I  turned  towards  him  as  he  stood  on  the  ter 
race  gazing  at  the  incoming  packet.  His  face 
was  ghastly  white,  his  eyes  were  \vide  open  and 
staring. 

"  My  lord !  "  I  cried,  running  to  him  in  great 
alarm.  "  You  are  ill  and  must  needs  seek  rest 
in  the  house  with  your  aunt  and  her  woman." 

"  Did  they  say  Morgan?  "  he  asked  hoarsely, 
though  he  took  not  his  eyes  for  one  moment 
from  the  incoming  sails. 

"  Yes,  my  lord,  Sir  Henry  Morgan,"  the 
mate  answered  for  me.  He  was  standing  at 
my  side,  though  I  knew  not  of  his  presence,  and 
I  read  that  look  of  jeering  suspicion,  now  con 
stantly  in  his  eyes.  ''  You  seem  greatly  re 
joiced  at  his  coming,  my  lord.  I'll  warranr 
that  he  is  no  enemy  of  your  father's.'' 

"  No,"  my  lord  replied,  "  he  is  his  very 
true  friend  and  has  seen  him  within  the  year. 
I  saw  him  often  in  my  childhood  and  once  at 
the  court  of  King  Louis,  scarce  two  years  ago." 

224 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 


THE  boat  that  left  the  packet  and  came 
swiftly  towards  us  had  six  rowers, 
and,  in  its  stern  sat  the  Welshman 
about  whose  robberies  and  ferocious  cruelties 
the  whole  world  had  talked,  and  from  which 
that  part  that  went  to  sea,  I  doubt  not,  prayed  to 
be  delivered.  That  the  king  who  frolicked 
with  Rochester,  and  smiled  at  the  daring  vil 
lainy  of  Blood,  should  have  made  him  a 
knight  of  the  realm  of  England,  was  no  small 
wonder.  For  Henry  Morgan's  hand  had 
ever  been  turned  against  Spanish  tyranny 
and  greed  in  the  New  World,  and  though 
by  it  he  had  filled  his  own  coffers  and 
lined  his  own  purse,  there  were  not  many  in 
England  or  France  who  did  not  look  upon  him 
as  more  daring  a  hero  than  a  villainous  rogue. 
They  who  crowded  the  wall  and  the  terrace  of 
Hispaniola  were  mostly  of  these  two  nations, 
and  the  cheers  they  let  out  at  his  coming  were 
both  lusty  and  sincere. 

When  his  boat  grated  on  the  sand  the  Gov- 

221 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    YOUNG 

ernor  and  other  dignitaries  were  there,  hat  in 
hand,  to  give  him  welcome.  He  was  a  tall, 
thickset  man  with  a  bushy  black  beard.  He 
wore  a  coat  of  rich  black  velvet  slashed  and 
lined  with  leaf-green,  his  lace  cravat  was  tied  in 
a  fringed  bow  with  long  ends,  and  his  sword 
belt  was  stiff  with  gold  lace.  His  rough  hunt 
ing  shirt  showed  through  the  slashings  of  his 
sleeves  and  his  two  brace  of  pistols  were  slung 
over  his  shoulder  in  a  silken  sling. 

"  I  had  thought  you  gave  me  brave  welcome, 
Governor  D'Oyeron,"  he  cried  after  he  had  re 
ceived  their  greetings.  "  But  the  watchman  in 
the  castle  called  that  you  had  mutiny  in  your 
city.  From  what  quarter  did  the  squall  arise, 
sir  ?  "  he  asked,  then  looking  at  the  people  who 
crowded  about  him,  added,  "  Though  I  see 
small  sign  of  such  a  push  of  wind,  unless  it  be 
the  naked  steel  which  many  of  your  men  hold 
in  their  hands." 

"  It  was  but  a  brawl,  your  Honor,"  the  Gov 
ernor  of  the  buccaneer  stronghold  answered, 
"  It  was  easily  quelled." 

"  My  lord's  challenge  still  lies  untouched  at 
your  feet;  will  your  Honor  lift  it?  "  the  mate 
said,  stepping  from  the  group  of  those  who 
stood  around  Count  Huguenin.  His  words 
were  addressed  to  the  Governor  of  the  town, 
though  his  eyes  were  on  Morgan. 

226 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

"  Ah,  ha!  Bras  de  Fer/'  Morgan  exclaimed. 
"  What  is  this ;  you  have  challenged  your  Gov 
ernor?  " 

"  Not  I,  Sir  Henry,"  he  replied.  "  But  a 
gentleman  whom  we  met  in  the  streets  of  Au 
gustine,  and  to  whom — and  the  two  females 
with  him — Captain  Hawkins  pledged  honorable 
passage  and  safe  shipment  to  Charleston.  Cap 
tain  Hawkins  was  dangerously  wounded  and 
lies  in  his  cabin  raving  with  fever,  so  I  sailed 
in  the  York  with  that  prize  as  her  consort,"  and 
he  motioned  towards  where  the  two  ships  lay 
at  anchor  in  the  bay. 

"  She  is  a  great  galleon,  sir,"  Morgan  cried, 
looking  at  the  two  ships  with  sparkling  eyes 
and  apparently  forgetful  of  all  else.  "And 
I'll  warrant  had  rich  lading.  Hawkins  was 
wounded  you  say,  and  you  brought  in  the  prize 
and  would  now  see  his  pledges  fulfilled.  'Tis 
but  your  duty  as  a  gentleman  and  sea-rover,  sir. 
But  who  is  the  man  and  for  what  grievance  has 
he  challenged  your  Governor  ?  "  His  eyes  were 
upon  our  group  and  I  saw  him  single  me  out. 
My  lord  stood  somewhat  to  the  rear,  shielded 
by  the  great  body  of  the  mate,  and  contrary  to 
his  wont,  appeared  to  be  content  to  be  so 
screened. 

"  He  is  a  French  nobleman,  your  Honor," 
the  mate  replied.  "  A  young  gallant  of  King 

227 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

Louis'  court  and  so  good  a  swordsman  that  I 
believe  no  man  can  stand  against  him.  He  dis 
armed  our  captain  in  the  streets  of  Augustine, 
and  spared  my  life  when  we  fought  man  to  man 
on  board  that  same  Spanish  galleon." 

"  Zounds !  mate,"  Morgan  cried,  "  but  I 
would  see  that  gallant  of  King  Louis  who  could 
disarm  Tom  Hawkins  and  beat  you  at  sword 
play.  Adzooks !  Bras  de  Fer,  he  must  be  more 
devil  than  man.  Where  is  he,  I  say?  Show 
yourself,  my  hearty.  Which  is  the  man?  " 

My  lord  pushed  between  us,  and,  stepping 
out,  stood  before  the  titled  pirate. 

"  I  am  the  man,  your  Honor,"  he  said.  He 
was  very  pale,  but  he  held  his  head  high,  and 
looked  Morgan  boldly  in  the  face. 

"  You !  "  the  robber  chief  cried  staring  at 
him,  a  puzzled  look  of  astonishment  in  his  eyes. 
"  You !  "  he  repeated,  stepping  forward  and  lay 
ing  hold  of  his  shoulder  as  though  the  better  to 
see  his  face. 

I  held  my  breath  hard  and  grasped  my 
sword,  for  I  did  not  know  what  his  next  words 
would  be  or  how  he  would  use  the  one  whose 
shoulder  he  grasped. 

"  Yes,  I,  Sir  Henry  Morgan,"  my  lord  said 
haughtily,  shaking  off  the  pirate's  hand  and 
stepping  away.  My  lord's  face  flamed  crimson, 
and  though  he  shot  a  glance  at  the  man  whom 

228 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

he  had  claimed  as  his  father's  friend,  he  did  not 
face  him  as  boldly  as  was  his  custom,  nor  did 
he  swear  or  rail  at  him;  instead,  his  eyes 
drooped  and  his  head  hung  down  as  though  in 
very  shame. 

"  What  in  the  devil  ails  our  young  count?  " 
I  heard  the  French  pirate,  whose  head  was 
swathed  with  a  woman's  petticoat,  exclaim. 
"  Why  does  he  not  answer  the  old  fighting- 
cock  up  boldly  and  like  the  young  gallant  that 
he  is?  He  is  no  coward  to  stand  before  any 
man  with  hanging  head  like  a  shame-faced 
woman." 

"  Pish !  "  answered  his  fellow.  "  He  is  but 
chapfallen  because  the  old  robber's  coming  has 
put  off  his  fight.  He  had  it  in  his  heart  to  spit 
the  Governor  with  one  hand  tied  behind  his 
back." 

Sir  Henry  Morgan  stared  at  my  lord  sternly ; 
then,  as  though  recovering  himself,  he  cried, 
doffing  his  hat  and  bowing  low  :  "  I  crave  par 
don,  my  lord.  You  look  so  young  to  have  won 
so  big  a  reputation  that  I  could  not  believe  you 
serious,  but  thought  you  tried  to  cozen  me.  By 
what  name  do  men  call  you,  my  lord  ?  " 

"  Uldric  Huguenin,"  he  answered ;  then  he 
added,  "  I  doubt  not  your  Honor  knows  of  my 
father." 

"  Yea,  I  knew  him  well.  And  your  mother 

229 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    YOUNG 

also,  my  lord.  I  knew  your  mother.  But  can 
you  tell  me  by  what  adventure  you  chanced  on 
board  that  pirate  ship?  "  There  was  both  sus 
picion  and  sternness  in  Morgan's  voice  and 
eyes  when  he  asked  the  question. 

My  lord  went  pale,  then  red  again.  His 
head  stiffened  up  and  in  the  voice  that  he  an 
swered  there  was  all  of  dignity  but  no  passion. 

"  With  my  aunt  and  her  serving  woman  I 
was  taken  captive  to  Augustine,"  he  answered. 
"  The  friends  who  would  have  rescued  us  were 
driven  back  or  imprisoned  and  tortured  in  their 
iron  cage.  Then,  your  Honor,"  he  continued, 
and  I  saw  that  his  bearing  became  prouder,  and 
he  raised  his  eyes  as  though  not  afraid  to  meet 
the  gaze  of  any  man,  "  they  pressed  me  hard, 
and  because  I  saw  that  my  only  hope  of  escape 
lay  in  a  bold  step,  I  took  that  step.  With  my 
aunt  and  her  serving  woman  I  sought  to  steal 
out  of  the  city,  prepared  to  fight  if  need  be. 
I  did  have  to  fight,  your  Honor,  but  not  the 
foes  that  I  feared.  Having  beat  down  the 
sword  of  their  leader,  he  pledged  me  and  the 
two  who  followed  me  honorable  treatment  and 
safe  passage  to  my  father's  home  in  Charles 
ton.  What  I  did  on  board  that  ship  is  known 
to  all  its  company  and  they  are  here  to  report 
it." 

"  You  have  your  father's  courage,  my  lord," 

230 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

Sir  Henry  Morgan  said  when  he  had  ceased 
to  speak.  "  And  I'll  warrant  that  had  nature 
formed  you  a  woman  you  would  be  as  chaste 
as  your  mother.  She  was  as  pure  as  snow, 
though  she  carried  not  out  the  poet's  simile  by 
being  as  cold  as  ice,  for  she  had  a  generous 
heart  for  even  erring  human  creatures.  She 
lived  an  honored  guest  among  us  here,  my 
lord,  and  though  she  knew  well  our  many 
crimes,  she  held  us  not  as  damned  souls  unfit  for 
her  compassion.  She  was  both  pure  and  beauti 
ful  and  in  all  my  rovings  both  by  sea  and  land 
I  have  seen  but  one  like  her " 

Bras  de  Fer  leaned  forward  and  whispered  in 
my  ear. 

"  That  one  was  the  Spanish  lady  whose 
beauty  drove  him  mad,"  he  said,  "  and  though 
he  gave  up  the  sea  and  did  all  else  for  her  sake, 
she  would  have  naught  to  do  with  him  but  re 
mained  true  to  her  husband." 

"  Had  you  been  a  maid,  my  lord,"  Sir  Henry 
Morgan  went  on,  "  I  could  make  no  higher 
wish  for  you  than  that  you  might  be  as  pure  as 
your  mother.  You  are  even  more  beautiful,  my 
lord." 

"  I  thank  your  honor,"  my  lord  replied,  and 
again  his  face  went  white,  then  red  and  his 
head  hung  down. 

"  I  have  often  visited  your  father's  house," 

231 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

Morgan  said,  "  both  in  years  gone  and  within  a 
few  months  past.  You  were  not  there,  my  lord." 

"  No,  your  Honor,  I  was  not  there,  for  they 
sent  me  early  away.  But  you  saw  my  sister 
Antoinette  ?  " 

"  Your  sister  Antoinette !  "  he  cried,  roaring 
with  laughter,  as  though  the  very  mention  of 
Mistress  Antoinette  Huguenin's  name  would 
make  him  split  his  sides.  "  Yea,  verily  I  saw 
your  sister  Antoinette.  She  is  a  court  beauty 
now,  my  lord,  and  hath  a  quick  and  ready  wit, 
I'll  warrant." 

"  You  saw  her  not  when  you  were  last  at 
court,  your  Honor?  "  my  lord  said, smiling, and 
I  thought  I  caught  a  twinkle  in  his  eye,  as  his 
gaze  shifted  somewhat  and  for  a  moment  took 
in  the  face  of  Bras  de  Fer,  who  had  been  a  most 
attentive  listener  to  it  all.  "  You  saw  only  me 
and  because  I  played  at  swords  with  the  grand 
son  of  the  king  they  thought  us  but  two  strip 
lings  and  unworthy  to  name  to  so  great  a  buc 
caneer  chieftain.  Still  you  remembered  well 
my  face,  your  Honor?  " 

"  Tis  not  such  that  any  one  would  soon  for 
get,  my  lord,  and  that  they  taught  you  right 
well  at  court,  I'll  warrant,"  he  cried  heartily. 
'  Your  face  and  your  sister's  wit  are  not  soon 
to  be  forgotten." 

"  Zounds !  "  I  heard  the  mate  exclaim  and  I 

232 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

turned  and  looked  at  him.  "  D'ye  know,  cap 
tain,  I  had  it  in  my  mind  more  than  once  that 
it  was  Mistress  Antoinette  masquerading  us 
all?  I  heard  such  tales  of  her  daredevil  tricks 
at  the  French  court  and  of  the  way  she  was 
wont  to  fright  the  sisters  of  the  convent  by 
climbing  trees,  scaling  walls  and  what  not,  that, 
verily,  I  thought  the  young  gallant  his  own 
sister." 

"  They  are  much  alike,"  I  told  him.  "  But 
my  lord  appears  full  half  a  head  the  taller." 
Then  I  turned  my  attention  again  to  the  con 
verse  of  those  two  who  interested  me  most. 

"  But  why  did  you  challenge  the  Governor? 
Tell  me  that,  my  lord." 

"  'Twas  no  quarrel  of  my  making,  your 
Honor.  I  had  no  ill  will  against  the  Governor 
of  your  town,  as  I  proved  by  claiming  his  re 
membrance  and  boldly  telling  him  my  name." 

"  He  is  his  father's  son,  Sir  Henry  Morgan, 
and  because  of  that  I  hate  him,"  D'Oyerori 
cried  hotly. 

"  Nay,  nay,  man,"  Morgan  cried.  "  Since 
you  hate  him  so  much  why  would  you  give  him 
the  pleasure  of  killing  you?  I  have  seen  the 
young  blade  at  it,  and  verily,  I  tell  you  he  could 
spit  you  with  one  hand  tied  behind  his  back  ?  " 

"  Ha,  ha!  he,  he!  "  came  a  snickering  laugh 
from  the  group  at  my  back.  "  That  was  just 

233 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    YOUNG 

what  the  young  count  laid  out  to  do  when  the 
great  guns  sounded  and  scared  all  men's  wits 
away." 

The  crowd  stared.  Then,  as  the  pirates 
pushed  forward  from  amongst  them  Sim 
Taviss  pranked  in  all  the  glory  of  a  painted  face 
and  his  borrowed  finery,  the  crowd  stared 
again,  and  then  burst  into  roars  of  laughter,  Sir 
Henry  Morgan  leading  off. 

My  lord  put  out  his  hand  and  touched  the 
cowering  figure. 

"  Shrink  not  back,  Sim,"  he  said  in  a  kinder 
tone  than  men  who  had  only  heard  his  wild 
oaths  and  haughty  commands  would  scarcely 
have  thought  him  capable  of.  "  Hold  up  thy 
head,  man.  'Tis  because  thy  beauty  pleases 
them  that  they  laugh  so  loud." 

"  Who  is  thy  fantastic  ape,  my  lord?  "  Mor 
gan  cried,  wiping  the  tears  that  his  laughter 
had  shaken  from  his  eyes  and  pointing  at  Sim 
Taviss,  who  reassured  by  my  lord's  words,  stood 
boldly  at  his  side  gazing  at  the  two  governors. 

"  His  name  is  Taviss,  your  Honor.  A  name 
with  a  good  English  sound,  and  I'll  warrant  he 
was  a  bright  boy  when  his  mother  had  him 
christened  Simeon,  eh,  Sim  ?  "  my  lord  cried 
clapping  his  hand  on  the  boy's  shoulder  approv 
ingly.  Then  raising  it  with  great  apparent 
carelessness  he  pushed  back  the  plastered  love- 

234 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

lock,  disclosing  a  deep  scar  that  extended  from 
the  temple  half  way  across  his  head.  "  'Twas 
from  a  Spanish  love-lick,  and  through  it  his 
brain  oozed  out  and  left  him  as  you  see.  He 
ran  away  from  home  and  went  to  sea,  his  ship 
was  taken  and  he  became  a  galley  slave — 'twas 
then  it  was  done — Hawkins  rescued  him  and — 
perhaps  'tis  fellow  feeling,  your  Honor,  for  I 
know  not  what  they  in  Augustine  would  have 
done  with  me.  I  call  him  my  L'Angeli,  for  he 
runs  to  do  my  slightest  bidding  and  is  a  most 
merry  jester." 

"L'Angeli!"  exclaimed  Morgan,  laughing 
again.  "  You  named  him  well,  my  lord,  for 
King  Louis'  titled  fool  did  not  ape  the  dress 
and  manners  of  his  royal  lord  more  closely 
than  thy  simpleton  has  striven  to  do.  Come, 
my  boy,'  he  said,  speaking  to  Sim  and  pointing 
with  his  sword  to  my  lord's  glove  as  it  lay  still 
untouched  on  the  ground.  "  I  would  have  thee 
useful  as  well  as  ornamental.  Pick  up  thy 
master's  glove  and  give  it  back  to  him." 

Then  he  turned  to  the  Governor  of  that  city 
which  he  had  founded  as  the  stronghold  for 
men  who  followed  his  trade,  and  for  which  no 
man  had  ever  found  a  name. 

"  Colonel  Huguenin  is  a  true  friend  of  my 
own,  D'Oyeron,  as  well  as  yourself,"  he  said, 
speaking  quite  sternly.  "  I  know  right  well  the 

235 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

cause  of  your  hatred  for  him.  But,  pish !  man, 
it  is  an  act  unlike  a  gentleman  and  the  Gover 
nor  of  a  buccaneer  city  to  foist  on  a  lad  a  quar 
rel  that  had  its  beginning  before  he  came  into 
the  world.  Put  up  your  sword,  D'Oyeron ;  and 
you  also,  my  lord,  for  I  would  see  you  touch 
hands.  You  call  him  the  son  of  your  enemy, 
Sir  Governor;  but  I  say  he  is  the  child  of  the 
girl  you  loved.  That  he  has  her  courage  he 
has  proved  to  you ;  and  have  your  eyes  grown 
so  old,  man,  that  you  cannot  see  her  face  smil 
ing  through  his  richer  coloring?  Put  up  your 
blade,  man,  and  give  the  young  gallant  your 
hand.  My  lord,  you  are  the  younger." 

My  lord  stepped  forward  and  extended  his 
hand. 

"  I  pray  your  Honor  to  forget  my  bragging 
words,"  he  said,  speaking  so  loud  that  all  who 
stood  about  must  hear.  "  I  came  into  your  city 
with  only  friendliness  in  my  heart,  but  when 
you  received  me  with  curses  I  was  angered  and 
said  all  that  I  could  to  urge  you  on.  I  pray 
your  Honor  to  forget  my  bragging  folly,"  he 
repeated,  and  I  thought  that  I  had  never  seen  so 
gallant  a  figure  or  so  noble  a  face.  D'Oyeron 
—with  Morgan's  eyes  pressing  hard  upon  him 
— took  my  lord's  hand,  muttering  something 
that  I  did  not  hear  because  I  made  not  the 
effort. 

236 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

Then  obeying  the  command  of  the  pirate 
chief  the  crowd  scattered  and  we  followed  them 
— my  lord,  Sir  Henry  Morgan,  and  D'Oyeron 
walking  side  by  side — towards  the  great  house 
set  apart  by  the  buccaneers  for  their  Gov 
ernor. 

"  Did  ye  see  him  beat  your  Governor,  dog?  " 
cried  the  pirate  wearing  the  velvet  jerkin  to  his 
old  enemy  with  the  pezos  earrings. 

"  Ye  lying  fool !  "  exclaimed  the  fellow  ad 
dressed.  "  They  did  not  even  cross  swords  and 
ye  know  it." 

"  Yet  he  beat  him,  I  say,"  cried  the  young 
Frenchman  with  the  swathed  head.  "  He  beat 
him  as  surely  as  he  did  our  mate,  and  held  his 
sword  over  his  heart  as  long.  When  the  Gov 
ernor  said  it  was  a  brawl  soon  settled,  did  he 
give  him  the  lie,  though  his  challenge  lay  un 
touched  where  all  men  could  see  it?  Not  he. 
Our  mate  must  tell  Sir  Henry,  and  then,  not 
until  he  had  been  called  for  more  than  once,  did 
he  push  himself  forward.  He  is  as  gallant  as 
he  is  brave." 

"  O,  ye  are  worse  daft  about  the  young  blade 
than  all  the  other  fools,"  snarled  he  of  the  gold 
pezos.  "  Because  he  has  a  pretty  face,  a  fine 
shape  and  a  bragging  tongue,  ye  think  him  a 
king." 

"  I  think  him  surely  the  king  of  gentlemen," 

237 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

the  Frenchman  answered.     "  For  I  have  never 
seen  his  mate." 

"  He  is  not  the  only  one  in  our  company  who 
rates  the  young  count  high,  Captain  Middle- 
ton?  "  questioned  the  mate  who  walked  at  my 
side. 

I  looked  into  his  eyes  that  I  might  read  his 
true  meaning. 

"  He  has  the  true  courage,"  I  answered  him 
simply  enough  and  with  all  sincerity. 

"  Yea,  he  is  as  ready  to  forgive  as  he  is  to 
draw  his  blade."  Then  he  added  with  a  chuckle 
as  though  amused  by  his  own  mistake.  "  On 
my  life,  I  thought  him  his  sister  in  masquerade. 
When  I  saw  the  expression  on  your  face,  that 
day  on  the  poop  deck  when  he  spied  the  colors 
on  the  merchantman ;  when  I  read  what  I 
thought  to  be  the  look  in  his  eyes,  I  suspected 
there  was  some  trickery.  Thinking  of  it  all,  his 
wondrous  beauty  and  the  mad  tales  I  had  heard 
about  Mistress  Antoinette — and  never  having 
heard  that  she  had  a  brother — I  began  to  sus 
pect  that  it  was  she  herself.  I  tried  hard  to  lay 
hold  of  something,  either  in  his  face  or  his  ac 
tions  to  prove  my  suspicions." 

"You  found  nothing?"  I  questioned,  look 
ing  at  him  covertly,  still  in  doubt  of  his  sin 
cerity. 

238 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

"  That  there  was  nothing  to  find  out  was 
proved  by  Sir  Henry's  words,"  he  cried. 
"  Though  I  doubt  not  if  there  had  been  he  would 
have  allowed  any  man  discover  it.  You  know 
as  well  as  I,  Captain  Middleton,  that  the  young 
spark  would  prove  a  match  for  King  Louis  in 
dissembling  as  well  as  at  sword  play." 

"  Yes,"  I  answered.  "  I  think  he  would." 
And  in  my  heart  I  believed  that  I  spoke  the 
truth. 


239 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 


WE  lodged  in  the  Governor's  house 
where  the  four  great  state  cham 
bers,  according  to  Sir  Henry  Mor 
gan's  orders  were  set  apart  for  the  use  of  my 
lord,  his  English  aunt,  her  serving  woman,  and 
the  Spanish  prisoners. 

"  Ods  bodikins !  man,"  Sir  Henry  cried  when 
D'Oyeron  was  for  sending  the  count  and  his 
women  to  the  public  house  of  the  town ;  "  the 
lad  is  the  guest  of  your  town  and  it  is  not  fit 
that  he  should  go  elsewhere.  He  has  been 
tenderly  nurtured  and  is  the  son  of  my  old 
friend  and  I  will  not  have  him  so  treated.  Be 
sides  consider  how  near  he  stands  to  your  king 
and  what  benefit  a  word  from  him  might  be  to 
your  city." 

'Twas  the  last  argument  that  won  D'Oyeron 
to  his  way  of  thinking,  though  I  do  not  doubt 
that,  if  Sir  Henry  so  willed  it,  my  lord  would 
have  lodged  in  the  state  rooms  no  matter  what 
the  Governor  of  the  town  said.  Though  the 
titled  pirate  no  longer  followed  the  sea,  but 

240 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

lived  in  splendor  as  Commissioner  of  Admir 
alty  in  Jamaica,  he  had  not  given  up  his  author 
ity  among  the  buccaneers,  and  that  he  was  not 
slow  to  let  all  men  see  and  understand. 

"  Ask  Count  Huguenin  his  pleasure  about 
the  bestowal  of  the  fathers,  Bras  de  Fer,"  he 
cried  when  the  mate  would  have  sent  them  with 
the  women. 

"  Would  you  have  them  with  you  in  the 
great  house,  my  lord?  "  the  pirate  asked,  doing 
as  he  was  bid. 

"  Nay,  nay!  Sir  Captain,"  my  lord  exclaimed, 
laughing  as  though  at  a  good  joke.  "  Though 
I  still  remain  the  Grand  Turk  and  have  my 
harem  with  me,  I  will  not  need  the  fathers.  I 
have  confessed  to  Sir  Henry  Morgan  and  he 
has  shriven  me." 

"  Nay,  my  lord,"  Morgan  exclaimed  with  a 
great  laugh.  "  I  have  received  your  confession 
but  I  have  not  yet  named  your  penance." 

My  lord's  cheeks  flamed  scarlet  and  his  eyes 
seemed  busy  with  the  floor.  I  held  a  still  tongue 
and  turned  my  gaze  away,  for  I  had  a  part  to 
play  and  determined  to  prove  a  good  actor, 
though  I  liked  not  the  sound  of  his  jest. 

The  buccaneer  chief,  let  it  be  known,  the  first 
night  of  his  coming,  said  while  we  sat  at  the 
feast  spread  in  his  honor  in  the  great  room  of 
the  Governor's  house,  that  he  could  not  make  a 

241 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

long  stay  in  the  stronghold  of  his  brotherhood. 
My  lord  was  at  his  right  hand  with  his  aunt 
seated  beside  him,  while  the  black  woman  and 
Sim  Taviss  stood  at  their  backs  and  served 
them.  I  was  placed  some  distance  farther 
down  the  long  table  among  sea  captains,  rich 
planters,  richer  merchants  and  some  few  hunt 
ers  who  had  returned  to  the  city  early  from 
their  hunts.  The  mate  was  at  my  side  and 
around  the  end  opposite  the  Governor  and  the 
one  in  whose  honor  the  feast  was  laid  I  saw 
other  of  the  pirates  who  had  sailed  with  the 
York  and  her  captured  galleon.  The  whole 
company  was  pranked  in  its  best,  for  Morgan 
was  in  many  ways  the  reverse  of  other  buc 
caneers  and  to  most  men  who  live  rough  lives 
away  from  the  centers  of  civilization;  he  had 
the  taste  of  a  true  court  gallant  in  his  dress  and 
required  a  like  regard  from  those  about  him. 

I  have  been  much  at  the  court  of  England, 
and  have  visited  the  courts  of  France  and  Hol 
land,  and  seen  many  tables  set  for  kings,  but  I 
have  never  seen  one  with  richer  services  of 
gold,  silver  and  crystal,  or  a  braver  show  of 
gold  and  silver  damask.  The  women  who  were 
present  were  the  wives  and  daughters  of  mer 
chants  and  some  few  planters;  and  I  judged 
from  their  bearing  all  of  them  were  women 
who  had  been  wont  to  live  among  more  gentle 

242 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

surroundings.  The  Spanish  prisoners  were  not 
there,  nor  were  any  of  the  class  with  whom 
I  had  been  told  the  buccaneers  were  accustomed 
to  have  their  orgies.  This  was  to  be  no  orgie, 
I  knew,  for  I  had  heard  Morgan  give  the  order 
that  none  under  the  influence  of  liquor  should 
be  admitted. 

"  I  stay  among  you  only  long  enough  to  fit  up 
my  ship  against  foul  weather,  mates,"  he  said, 
after  the  first  toast,  when  they  had  all  shouted 
his  name  and  that  of  his  greatest  victory  many 
times.  "  There  has  been  a  storm  brewing  for 
me  ever  since  the  death  of  my  royal  friend  and 
master  placed  on  the  throne  his  brother,  the 
Catholic  James.  That  storm  has  now  taken 
definite  shape  and  I  look  for  it  to  break  before 
the  world  is  one  month  older.  I  was  Governor 
of  Jamaica — acting  deputy  for  my  lord,  the 
Earl  of  Carlisle,  as  many  of  you  know — until 
the  arrival  of  the  last  ship,  and  in  it  the  gentle 
man  appointed  to  succeed  me.  Up  to  the  sail 
ing  of  that  ship  I  still  remained  Commissioner, 
but  by  it  I  received  private  warning  from  a 
friend  at  court,  that  the  next  ship  sailing  will 
bring  with  it  a  royal  order  to  the  Governor,  for 
my  return  to  England  to  answer  the  complaints 
of  the  King  of  Spain  and  his  subjects." 

"  What  care  you  for  their  complaints  ?  "  a 
pirate  from  the  lower  end  of  the  board  bellowed. 

243 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

"  I  sailed  as  your  gimner  against  Puerto  Bello 
and  Panama  and  will  follow  you  into  hell  to 
fight  the  devil  himself.  What  does  Morgan 
care  for  the  King  of  Spain?" 

"Aye!  aye!"  was  shouted  lustily  up  and 
down  the  long  board.  "  What  does  Morgan 
care  for  the  King  of  Spain  ?  We  have  ships  in 
plenty  and  men  in  plenty  to  take  Havana  itself. 
Come!  lead  us  against  the  greedy  dons  and 
we'll  harry  them  until  not  one  of  their  flags  is 
left  to  flutter  in  the  New  World.  Lead  us 
against  Havana!  "  they  shouted.  "  She  is  rich 
in  treasure  against  any  man's  counting  and  her 
warehouses  burst  with  baled  merchandise. 
Come!  lead  us  against  Havana." 

But  Morgan  shook  his  head  and  when  the 
shouts  had  ceased,  cried :  "  If  they  press  me 
hard  and  I  see  naught  ahead  of  me  but  a  dun 
geon  cell  or  an  arm's  length  of  rope,  I  say  not 
what  I  will  do,  brothers.  Yet,  when  I  left 
ye,  I  planned  not  to  return  to  my  old  life, 
as  ye  all  know.  I  have  been  proud  to  wear 
the  title  which  my  king  bestowed  upon  me 
and  glad  to  serve  my  country  in  a  peace 
ful  manner  in  America.  Then,"  he  added, 
after  a  moment's  pause  and  his  voice  had  a 
gentler  tone,  "  since  leaving  you  I  have  taken 
me  a  wife  and  gotten  me  children,  with  whom 
I  would  spend  my  days  in  peace.  But  if  the 

244 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

worse  should  seem  like  to  come  to  the  worse 
and  the  Catholic  James  would  pleasure  the 
King  of  Spain  by  casting  me  into  prison,  or 
swinging  me  from  the  gallows,  I  may  turn 
again  to  the  high  seas." 

"  Mates,"  Bras  de  Fer  exclaimed,  rising  at 
my  side  and  holding  high  his  golden  goblet, 
"  there  are  many  strong  arms  among  us,  and 
enough  treasure  to  buy  many  great  ships  well 
fitted.  They  are  both  at  the  service  of  our 
Admiral  and  I  would  drink  to  his  early  return 
to  the  high  seas." 

Before  he  finished  every  man  of  that  com 
pany  was  on  his  feet,  excepting  only  him  in 
whose  honor  the  feast  was  given,  my  lord  and 
myself.  With  cups  filled  to  the  brim  they 
shouted  as  they  drank :  "  We  are  at  your 
service,  Admiral,  both  men  and  treasures.  We 
would  sail  under  the  merry  black  flags  and 
drive  all  Spaniards  to  hell." 

The  cry  went  back  and  forth,  around  that 
long,  glittering  board  until  the  tall  roof  seemed 
reverberating  with,  "  Under  the  merry  black 
flag!  "  "  Drive  all  Spaniards  to  hell !  "  "  Mor 
gan  our  admiral !  "  "  Puerto  Bello !  "  and 
"  Panama !  "  The  din  was  ear-splitting  and  the 
great  torches  flickered  in  their  sockets  on  the 
walls  from  their  poundings  on  the  table. 

"  I  would  see  your  admiral's  flag  wave  over 

245 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

the  Phoenix,"  Bras  de  Fer  cried  when  the  noise 
had  become  less  great.  "  She  is  a  gallant  ship 
and  now  that  she  has  been  properly  armed  is 
a  fit  leader  for  a  great  fleet." 

Then  the  pirates  who  sat  around  the  end  of 
the  board  shouted :  "  Let  your  pennant  wave 
above  the  Phcenix,  Admiral." 

'  And  what  ship  call  ye  the  Phoenix,  Bras  de 
Fer?"  Morgan  shouted,  raising  his  voice  so 
that  his  words  were  distinct  above  the  din. 

'Tis  the  Spanish  packet,  your  honor,  that 
we  took  on  our  last  fight  in  the  gulf  of  Mara- 
caibo,"  the  mate  answered.  "  When  we  di 
vided  her  treasure  I  bought  her  before  the  mast, 
and  left  her  in  this  bay  to  be  careened  and  fitted 
against  my  return.  Now  I  would  have  her  the 
flagship  of  your  admiral's  fleet." 

"Aye!  aye!"  yelled  the  pirates  around  the 
end  of  the  board  facing  Morgan.  "  We  would 
have  ye  admiral  on  board  the  Phoenix." 

"  'Tis  a  friendly  offer,  Bras  de  Fer,"  the 
famous  pirate  replied,  commanding  silence  by 
a  wave  of  his  hand  towards  those  at  the  foot  of 
the  table  who  still  shouted  and  beat  the  table; 
"  and  gallantly  made.  I  sail  at  the  crack  of 
dawn  the  day  after  to-morrow,  and  if  you  can 
be  ready  so  soon  would  be  glad  of  your  com 
pany.  For  though  it  seems  wisest  that  I  make 
Jamaica  in  King  James'  packet.  I  would  have  as 

246 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

a  consort  one  who  could  enter  the  harbor  and 
get  tidings  of  the  news  brought  by  the  ship  last 
sailing  from  England.  If  the  tidings  should 
prove  unhealthy  for  my  safety  'tis  my  plan  to 
go  aboard  my  consort  and  send  the  Swallow 
back  to  the  governor  of  the  island." 

"  Seize  her !  Admiral.  Seize  her  and  hoist 
the  black  flag !  "  the  pirates  shouted,  and  I  think 
every  man  who  sat  at  the  board  save  three  re 
peated  the  shout.  "  She  is  a  fine  ship,  heavily 
armed,  and  will  make  a  jolly  buccaneer." 

"  With  the  armed  packet  and  Morgan  for 
Admiral,"  shouted  the  French  pirate  with  the 
broken  head,  "  we  could  capture  every  ship  of 
the  plate  fleet  that  sails  brimming  with  crown 
wealth  from  the  mines  of  Peru,  and  the  shoals 
of  galleons  by  which  the  Genoese  ship  their 
droves  of  negro  slaves  from  the  coast  of 
Guinea." 

"  Nay,  my  friend,"  Morgan  replied  with 
firmness.  "  I  sail  in  His  Majesty's  packet  as 
his  Commissioner  of  Admiralty  and  will  com 
mit  no  act  against  his  law.  The  packet  goes 
back  to  the  port  from  which  she  sailed  to  be 
returned  in  all  safety  to  the  Governor,  but  if  I 
find  my  commission  withdrawn  and  my  liberty 
threatened  I  go  not  with  her." 

"  But,  to  chase  the  Spaniards  from  the  New 
World,  ah !  "  cried  an  old  hunter,  the  Dutch- 

247 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

man  who  had  claimed  acquaintance  with  the 
parents  of  Count  Huguenin.  Then  turning  to 
the  mate  he  exclaimed;  "I  would  store  the 
Phoenix  with  meat,  both  bucan  and  salt,  Cap 
tain  Bras  de  Fer,  and  the  reward  I  ask  is  one 
piastre  from  the  first  Spaniard  that  you  capture 
under  the  Admiral's  flag." 

"  Yea,  verily,  I  will  give  ye  pound  of  gold 
for  every  pound  of  flesh  that  ye  store  her  with, 
brother,"  the  mate  cried.  "  And  gladly,  if  the 
Admiral  will  but  consent  to  sail  on  her." 

"  That  may  be,  that  may  be,  Bras  de  Fer," 
Morgan  cried.  "  An  ye  receive  the  tidings  I 
look  for  I'll  be  blithe  to  sail  your  Admiral,  on 
board  your  Phoenix.  I  have  passed  too  many 
days  on  the  high  seas  to  care  to  end  my  life  in 
a  dungeon.  The  day  after  to-morrow  you  sail 
my  consort  and  mayhap  I  will  return  your 
Admiral." 

"  Our  Admiral !  our  Admiral !  "  they  all 
shouted,  repeating  the  title  over  and  over  again, 
and  so  loud  that  it  seemed  as  though  the  top  of 
the  great  room  would  be  thundered  off.  Men 
and  women  alike  rose,  climbed  on  the  stools  and 
benches  upon  which  they  sat,  snatched  off  their 
scarfs  and  kerchiefs,  and  waved  them  wildly 
over  their  heads ;  some  beat  upon  the  table  with 
the  gold  and  silver  vessels  from  which  they 
drank  as  though  they  had  been  made  of  meanest 

248 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

metal.  From  that  time  I  noticed  they  called 
him  no  more  by  the  title  with  which  they  had 
greeted  his  coming,  but  he  was  always  their 
Admiral. 

When  they  had  well  nigh  beat  the  drums  out 
of  my  ears  with  their  clamor,  Morgan  com 
manded  silence  and  seating  himself  began 
putting  the  silver  implements  that  he  had  used 
during  his  meal  into  the  cadenas  of  carved  gold 
that  sat  at  the  side  of  his  plate.  At  this  signal 
the  English  lady  rose  and  the  other  women  with 
her,  prepared  to  leave  the  room. 

"  You  do  well  to  retire  so  early,  my  lord," 
Morgan  said,  as  the  young  gallant  left  his  seat 
and  assisted  his  aunt  in  drawing  back  the  great 
chair  in  which  she  sat.  "  'Tis  said,  and  I  think 
rightly,  that  early  hours  give  health,  wealth  and 
happiness.  Three  things  worthy  of  considera 
tion,  I  do  assure  you.  I  wish  you  both  good 
night,  sir,  and  may  you  have  rosy  dreams." 

"  I  thank  your  Honor,"  my  lord  said,  return 
ing  the  pirate's  courtesy  with  a  graceful  bow, 
"  but  before  I  leave  I  would  crave  a  favor." 

"  You  are  the  child  of  an  old  and  true  friend, 
my  lord,"  the  Admiral  cried.  "  For  your  own 
sake  there  be  few  things  that  lay  within  my 
power  that  I  would  not  grant  you.  Speak,  my 
lord,  and  name  the  manner  in  which  I  may 
serve  you." 

249 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

"  I  would  return  to  my  father's  house  in 
Charleston,  your  Honor,"  my  lord  replied. 
"Captain  Hawkins  is  still  ill,  the  York  is  to  be 
careened  in  this  harbor,  and  Captain  Bras  de 
Fer  to  sail  on  his  newly  christened  vessel.  I 
ask  that  your  Honor  will  see  fulfilled  the 
pledges  made  myself  and  my  friends  in  Augus 
tine.  I  would  beg  that  you  take  us  with  you  to 
Jamaica,  where  we  can  easily  take  passage 
aboard  some  ship  sailing  to  England,  or  her 
colonies  on  the  continent." 

Morgan  looked  at  him  steadily,  drawing  his 
eyes  to  a  narrow  slit.  The  company  was  silent 
and  I  held  my  breath,  waiting  for  his  reply.  It 
seemed  no  short  time,  and  I  saw  the  English 
lady  step  forward  and  her  lips  opened  as  though 
she  was  about  to  add  her  voice  to  my  lord's  peti 
tion.  The  buccaneer  chief  threw  back  his  head 
and  laughed  heartily. 

"  I  received  your  confession,  my  lord,"  he 
cried.  "  An  you  do  the  penance  I  appoint  you, 
I  will  take  you  and  your  two  friends,  and  your 
serving  woman  with  me  on  board  the  king's 
packet,  and  land  you  all  safe  in  Charleston. 
W;ll  you  do  penance,  my  lord?  " 

''  You  are  my  father's  friend,"  my  lord  an 
swered,  meeting  his  gaze  squarely ;  "  you  held 
my  mother  in  high  esteem.  Though  I  honor 
you  highly,  I  would  know  whereof  I  speak  be- 

250 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

fore  I  pledge  my  word.  What  is  your  will, 
your  Honor?  " 

Again  the  pirate  Admiral  let  out  a  great 
laugh  and  stretching  out  his  hand  grasped  my 
lord's  shoulder  and  drew  him  nearer.  The 
blood  surged  through  my  brain  and  beat  upon 
my  temples  until  my  head  seemed  burning.  I 
held  my  breath  and  grasped  my  sword  until 
the  carving  on  the  hilt  was  printed  on  my  flesh. 
The  buccaneer  whispered,  it  could  scarce  have 
been  more  than  a  word.  My  lord  jerked  his 
shoulder  from  his  grasp  and  stood  facing  him 
with  flushed  cheeks  and  wide  opened  eyes.  I 
drew  my  sword  half  from  its  scabbard,  and 
know  not  what  mad  act  I  would  have  commit 
ted,  what  wild  words  I  would  have  uttered,  had 
I  not  felt  the  pressure  of  the  mate's  hand  upon 
my  shoulder  and  heard  his  voice : 

"  By  my  faith !  Captain  Middleton,  your 
young  fighting-cock  is  in  no  danger,"  he  said. 
"  The  Admiral  does  but  whisper  in  his  ear — 
but — "  and  I  saw  the  same  suspicious  gleam 
wipe  out  the  puzzled  look  in  his  eyes —  "  you 
put  a  strange  thought  in  my  brain." 

I  shook  myself  free  from  his  grasp  and  might 
have  given  him  no  mild  reply,  had  I  not  heard 
my  lord's  voice. 

"  I  will  do  the  penance  you  ask,"  he  was  say 
ing.  "  I  thought  to  leave  as  I  came  among  you, 

25I 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

but  since  you  are  my  father's  friend,  Sir  Henry 
Morgan,  and  I  trust  you,  I  will  do  as  you  ask. 
I  wish  you  good-night,  your  Honor.  Gentles, 
good-night." 

"  My  lord !  "  a  voice  from  amongst  those  at 
the  foot  of  the  table  cried,  "  go  not  away  with 
the  women.  We  would  have  you  sing  for  us, 
my  lord.  Sing  the  gay  songs  that  you  sang  as 
you  swung  in  the  rigging." 

It  was  the  young  French  pirate  who  first 
spoke,  but  before  he  had  finished  every  man 
of  the  crews  who  had  sailed  with  my  lord, 
raised  his  voice  and  lustily  shouted  for  a  song. 

My  lord  hesitated ;  then  Morgan  spoke,  and 
he  stopped  and  his  aunt  and  her  serving-woman 
stopped  with  him.  The  women  who  were  all 
following  them  from  the  room  waited  also. 

"Come!  my  lord,"  Morgan  cried,  "since 
you  go  so  soon  away  will  you  not  pleasure  the 
men  who  sailed  with  you  ?  They  love  your  gal 
lant  ways,  and  would  hear  you  sing.  Will  you 
not  pleasure  your  pirate  shipmates,  my  lord?  " 

"  Yea,  that  I  will,"  my  lord  cried,  turning 
back  and  facing  the  company.  "  Find  me  place, 
mates.  Where  would  you  have  me  stand  to 
sing  to  you?  " 

"  There  my  young  fighting-cock,  on  the  mid 
dle  of  the  table  where  stands  the  great  flagon 
of  wine,"  the  savage  with  the  pezos  earrings 

2<J2 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

cried,  pointing  to  a  position  near  the  center  of 
the  long  board. 

"  Aye,"  cried  the  wearer  of  the  velvet  jerkin. 
"  Stand  high  up  where  we  all  can  see,  and  with 
out  your  coat  and  waistcoat;  just  as  you  stood 
when  you  beat  our  mate  at  swords  on  the  gal 
leon's  deck.  We  would  see  you  in  your  pretty 
shirt  with  its  ruffles,  my  lord,  that  all  men  may 
admire  your  handsome  shape." 

My  lord's  laugh  rang  out  like  a  merry  chime. 
He  drew  off  the  two  garments  named  and 
throwing  them  into  the  arms  of  his  aunt's  serv 
ing  woman,  sprang  upon  a  chair,  and  then  to 
the  table. 

"  Make  room !  brothers,"  he  cried,  motioning 
to  those  who  sat  around  that  part  of  the  table. 
"  Back  against  the  wall,  all  of  you,  if  you  would 
hear  my  song." 

His  head  was  held  high,  his  cheeks  flamed 
and  his  great  eyes  were  like  dark  pools  flashing 
in  the  starlight.  He  stood  in  the  center  of  that 
cloth  of  gold  covered  table,  strewn  with  eating 
vessels  of  gold,  silver,  and  crystal  and  what 
fragments  of  the  feast  remained;  a  hand  rested 
against  his  hip,  and  one  foot  was  a  little  ad 
vanced. 

His  red  lips  unclosed,  and  he  sang  the  mad 
dest,  wildest  of  rollicking  French  bottle-songs. 
There  was  the  swaggering  riot  of  a  braggart 

253 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

court  gallant  in  every  word  and  measure.  At 
the  end  the  men  cheered  and  the  women  clapped 
their  hands  and  called  for  more.  Then  he  sang 
again  the  English  ballad  we  had  heard  on  board 
ship  and  the  applause  was  even  greater.  Old 
women  waved  their  scarfs  and  kerchiefs,  while 
the  young  ones  snatched  the  vines  that  trailed 
around  the  windows  on  the  outer  wall;  they 
pulled  off  handfuls  of  leaves  and  blossoms  and 
flung  them  at  the  singer's  feet.  My  lord  bowed 
low  to  their  applause;  he  flung  kisses  from  the 
tips  of  his  fingers  to  those  who  threw  him 
flowers  and  began  another  ballad. 

There  was  an  uproar  near  the  lower  end  of 
the  great  room  and  the  ruffian  with  gold  pezos 
in  his  ears  was  seen  contending  with  Sim 
Taviss. 

"  Have  ye  no  manners,  clog,"  Bras  de  Fer 
cried,  "  that  ye  cannot  cease  your  brawling 
when  your  betters  would  hear  his  lordship 
sing?" 

"  'Tis  the  fool,  Captain,"  the  pirate 
grumbled.  "  He  will  give  me  no  peace  but  con 
tinues  to  bellow  into  my  ear,  thinking  he  should 
sing  with  the  young  gallant." 

"  Canst  sing,  man  ?  "  my  lord  cried,  smiling 
down  at  his  fantastic  ape. 

"  I  know  your  love  ballad,  my  lord,"  he  an 
swered,  with  something  like  a  gleam  of  intelli- 

254 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

gence  sparkling  in  his  eyes.  "  I  oft  sang  it 
with  my  mother." 

"  And  by  my  faith  you  shall  sing  it  now," 
my  lord  cried  with  one  of  his  high  ringing 
laughs.  "  Up,  man,  up,  I  say,  and  lend  your 
voice  that  all  may  hear  us  sing  the  song 
together." 

At  his  bidding  the  fool  came  forward,  clam 
bered  upon  the  table  and  stood  at  my  lord's 
side.  It  was  an  uncommon  figure  he  cut  and 
the  pirates  laughed  in  derision. 

"  Hold  up  thy  head,  man,"  my  lord  cried, 
clapping  him  on  the  shoulder  and  scowling  an 
grily  at  his  deriders.  "  Sing  out  bravely  that 
all  may  hear  the  fine  words." 

Then  they  began  and  with  my  lord's  high 
sweet  tones  there  sounded  a  voice  deep  and  rich 
as  the  minor  chord  in  a  great  organ.  Men  and 
women  stared  and  listened  at  my  lord  and  his 
caricature  as  they  stood  and  sang  that  old  Eng 
lish  love-song.  The  beauty  of  the  one  was 
heightened  by  contrast  with  the  fantastic  clown- 
ishness  of  the  other,  and  the  song  was  rendered 
twice  as  sweet  by  his  deep,  rich  tones.  The 
song  ended  and  the  burst  of  applause  seemed 
twice  as  great.  Flowers  fell  around  them, 
heaped  up  about  their  feet.  One  girl  wove  a 
garland  and  flung  it  at  my  lord's  head;  it  fell 
upon  his  shoulder. 

255 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

"See!  Sim,"  my  lord  cried,  lifting  it  from 
his  shoulder  and  placing  it  upon  the  fool's 
head.  "  'Twas  made  for  thee,  and  you  shall 
wear  it  while  we  sing  another  ditty.  Zounds! 
man,  it  does  become  thy  beauty."  And  he 
smiled  at  the  wild  uproar  that  greeted  the  ap 
pearance  of  the  flowered  garland  upon  the 
stringy  love-locks  of  his  grotesque  mimic.  "  We 
will  sing  them  another,  since  they  do  so  love  thy 
sweet  face  and  handsome  shape." 

That  one  ended  he  would  not  sing  again, 
though  the  whole  company,  even  his  old  enemy, 
the  Governor,  called  lustily  for  more. 

"  I  am  weary  and  would  rest,"  he  said, 
springing  down  from  the  table.  Then,  turning, 
he  swept  a  low  bow,  first  to  the  two  dignitaries, 
then  to  the  people.  "  I  thank  you  for  your 
courtesy  and  wish  you  happy  dreams.  Sir 
Henry  Morgan,  to-morrow  on  the  stroke  of 
midnight  I  do  the  penance  you  require  of  me." 

"  Zounds !  my  lord,"  the  buccaneer  cried, 
"  'tis  a  rare  joy  you  promise  and  one  that  will 
not  soon  be  forgotten.  Rosy  dreams,  lady. 
Good-night,  my  lord." 

My  lord  returned  his  bow,  then  with  another 
including  all  he  left  behind  said : 

"  Pleasant  dreams,  friends." 

Then  he  gave  his  hand  to  his  aunt  and  led 
her  out,  followed  by  her  black  serving  woman 
and  his  fanciful  mime. 

256 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 


THE  next  day  at  sunrise  the  pirates  di 
vided  their  booty,  and  for  the  nonce 
at  least  there  was  no  quarreling,  each 
man  being  fully  satisfied  on  receiving  as  his 
share  two  thousand  pounds,  estimating  at  ten 
piastres  to  the  pound.  The  jewels  and  mer 
chandise  as  well  as  the  captured  galleon  itself 
were  sold  before  the  mast  and  fetched  good 
prices,  the  planters  and  rich  merchants  of  the 
town  buying  the  greater  part.  The  galleon  was 
bought  by  the  Admiral  and  given  in  charge  of 
the  wounded  man  who  had  sailed  as  surgeon  of 
the  York,  to  be  careened  and  victualed  against 
such  a  time  as  he  would  receive  sailing  orders. 
I  would  have  refused  the  full  share  that  the 
pirates  pressed  upon  me,  for  they  said  it  was  my 
due,  as  one  who  fought  against  the  Spaniard 
and  sailed  the  galleon  into  port;  but  my  lord 
came  up  and  caused  me  to  change  my  mind. 

'Tis  a  fortunate  thing  for  us  after  all,  Cap 
tain  Middleton,"  he  said,  letting  his  eyes  meet 
mine — a  thing  he  seldom  did,  "  that  we  were 
held  prisoners  in  Augustine.  You  would  not 

257 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

have  earned  two  thousand  pounds  on  your 
Charleston  planting  of  tobacco  and  indigo  in 
twice  two  years,  while  I — "  here  he  laughed 
merrily — "  might  have  lost  twice  that  much  at 
gaming.  I  have  pocketed  my  share,  Captain, 
and  thank  my  stars  that  a  certain  afternoon, 
walking  on  the  sea  wall,  I  spied  you  swinging 
in  the  iron  cage." 

"  Yet,  my  lord,"  Bras  de  Fer  cried  sharply, 
the  flicker  of  suspicion  I  had  before  noticed  in 
his  eyes  grown  to  a  gleam  of  triumph,  "  Cap 
tain  Middleton  did  assure  me  that  he  had  never 
clapped  eyes  upon  you  until  he  saw  you  aboard 
the  York." 

"  He  spoke  the  truth,  sir,"  my  lord  assured 
him  meeting  his  gaze  with  a  most  placid  coun 
tenance.  "  He  scarce  knew  that  my  father  had  a 
son.  When  I  walked  on  the  sea  wall  Captain 
Middleton  was  fainting  in  the  iron  cage  .  'Twas 
my  sister,  Mistress  Antoinette  Huguenin  who 
told  me  his  name  and  of  his  friendship  for  my 
father.  I'll  warrant  he  did  not  disclaim  her 
acquaintance.  Captain  Middleton  did  make 
most  brave  pretense  of  loving  my  sister,  Sir 
Henry,"  my  lord  went  on,  with  a  gleam  of 
roguishness  in  his  eyes  that  only  made  them 
appear  the  more  beautiful.  "  But  since  he  has 
been  aboard  your  buccaneer  ship,  on  my  faith, 

258 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

I  do  not  believe  that  he  has  once  thought  of  her 
in  Augustine." 

"  So  he  pretended  to  love  your  sister,  my 
lord,"  Morgan  cried,  roaring  with  laughter. 
I  saw  that  he  was  ever  ready  to  laugh  at  the 
young  gallant's  light  jests  and  I  noticed  with 
no  little  displeasure  that  he  kept  him  ever  under 
his  eye.  'Tis  well  you  have  forgotten  her, 
Captain  Middleton,  for  she  is  a  most  fickle  jade 
and  has  already  proved  the  undoing  of  more 
than  one  good  man.  Besides,  if  reports  be  true, 
she  thinks  no  more  of  her  friends  in  the  New 
World.  There  is  a  certain  French  nobleman, 
so  'tis  said, — the  Due  de  Richelieu — who  has 
possessed  himself  of  her  heart  and  will  marry 
her  if  the  king  will  give  him  her  hand." 

My  lord's  face  was  on  fire,  his  eyes  sought 
the  tiles  of  the  Governor's  piazza  on  which  we 
sat,  and  he  bit  his  lips  and  drew  his  black  brows 
together. 

"  She  must  have  changed  since  your  news, 
Admiral,"  Bras  de  Fer  exclaimed;  "for  she 
refused  to  leave  Augustine  with  my  lord  be 
cause  she  was  so  determined  to  wed  the 
younger  D'Alva,  who  succeeded  his  uncle  as 
governor." 

"  So  you  left  your  sister  in  Augustine,  my 
lord,  and  she  was  to  wed  the  Spaniard?  "  cried 

259 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

Morgan,  laughing  as  though  at  a  very  merry 
jest. 

"  Yea,  I  left  her  in  Augustine,  your  Honor," 
my  lord  replied,  smiling  not  too  merrily.  "  If 
her  humor  changes  and  she  weds  not  the  don, 
she  will  not  marry  His  Grace  of  Richelieu,  that 
I'll  warrant." 

"  Then  mayhap  it  will  be  Captain  Middleton, 
after  all,"  the  buccaneer  cried  still  laughing, 
and  my  lord's  head  was  bent  so  low  that  I  could 
not  see  his  face.  "  She  is  well  worth  the  win 
ning,  Captain,  for  though  'tis  said  she  has  a 
temper  of  her  own,  she  is  so  great  a  beauty  and 
has  such  a  wondrous  quick  wit,  that  were  I 
foot-loose  I  would  follow  her  to  the  end  of  the 
world  but  what  I'd  take  her  from  all  other  men. 
Dost  think  she  would  look  at  an  old  sea  dog, 
my  lord?" 

"  She  has  the  contrariness  of  a  woman,  your 
Honor,"  my  lord  replied,  his  eyes  on  the  blade 
that  he  had  drawn  from  its  scabbard  and  was 
busily  polishing  with  his  fine  wrought  hand 
kerchief.  "  There  is  no  telling  what  a  woman 
will  do."  Then  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  exclaim 
ing  :  "  Here  comes  Master  Swann,  to  give  us 
notice  of  the  hocksing,  I'll  warrant." 

"  Yes,  my  lord,"  the  old  hunter  replied,  as  he 
approached  the  piazza  with  some  half  dozen 
engages  following  him. 

260 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

Master  Svvann  was  an  Englishman — one  of 
that  ten  thousand  shipped  to  the  New  World 
by  Cromwell — and  rated  the  wisest  as  well  as 
the  richest  hunter  among  the  brotherhood  of 
buccaneers.  "  We  have  located  a  herd  of  bulls 
feeding  on  the  side  of  the  mountain  and  my 
slaves  guard  them  with  dogs.  The  horses  and 
chairs  are  now  being  made  ready  in  the  Gov 
ernor's  court,  and  if  the  Admiral  and  your 
lordship  will  notify  your  friends,  we  will  leave 
at  once  for  the  rendezvous,  there  to  partake  of 
our  rough  fare  and  after  the  noon  hour  to  go  to 
the  little  prairie  where  my  engages  and  slaves 
have  orders  to  gently  drive  the  cattle." 

Master  Swann  with  the  two  governors  and 
my  lord  rode  at  the  head  of  the  party,  while  I, 
with  Bras  de  Fer,  followed  next,  riding  by  the 
side  of  the  chair  of  the  English  lady.  Other 
women  were  among  the  party  who  came  behind, 
the  older  ones  borne  in  chairs  on  the  shoulders 
of  engages,  the  younger  ones  riding  the  sedate 
little  native  horses. 

We  left  the  planted  slip  that  surrounded  the 
bay  and  entered  the  forest  that  covered  the  slop 
ing  sides  of  the  foot-hills.  Hesperian  orchards 
they  seemed,  those  woods  through  which  we 
rode.  The  lime  and  the  citron,  growing  side 
by  side,  hung  their  rich  clusters  over  our  heads ; 
the  pineapple  showed  in  the  prickly  hedges,  and 

261 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

the  avocada  swung1  its  pears  big  as  pumpkins 
within  reach  of  our  hands;  the  soft  custard 
apples  were  like  rich  golden  bags  of  sweetness 
that  the  slaves  plucked  and  devoured  as  they 
passed  along. 

The  gigantic  spreading  leaves  of  the  bread 
fruit  shaded  us,  while  the  glossy  star  apple  and 
the  golden  shaddock  dropped  their  masses  of 
foliage  among  the  tall  cabbage  trees  with  their 
silk  cotton-buttressed  trunks.  We  passed 
through  the  cloistered  arcades  of  the  ban 
yan;  the  wild  plantain  with  its  immense 
green  leaves,  its  thick  bunches  of  fruit,  and  its 
scarlet  seeds;  the  banana  with  its  banner-like 
leaves;  the  fern  trees  and  the  tall  feathery 
palms.  The  songs  of  the  birds  were  interrupted 
from  time  to  time  by  the  strange  shrieks  and 
meanings  from  the  droves  of  monkeys  that 
clambered  through  the  tree-tops. 

In  the  strangeness  and  beauty  of  her  sur 
roundings  the  English  lady  at  my  side  forgot 
her  fright  for  the  first  time  since  I  had  seen  her 
aboard  the  pirate  ship.  She  was  as  happy  as  a 
child  enjoying  a  walk  through  a  summer 
garden.  She  cried  out  at  the  sight  of  the  gor 
geous  hibiscus  with  its  crown  of  scarlet  and  at 
the  huge  bunches  of  snowy  amaryllis.  En 
gages  heaped  her  chair  with  scarlet  cordia,  the 
plumiria,  the  white  datura,  and  pink  and  saffron 

262 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

flowered  fence  hastily  plucked  from  the  wild 
jungle  of  beauty  as  we  moved.  Once  while  we 
rested  under  a  green  tamarind  and  listened  to 
the  mournful  creakings  of  a  sand  box  tree,  one 
of  the  slaves  who  had  borne  her  chair,  climbed 
into  the  branches  of  a  tall  pine  and  cut  off  the 
yellow  flowered  crown  of  a  maypole  aloe  that 
shot  twenty  feet  above  our  heads.  Another 
found  for  her  the  hammock  nest  of  an  oriole 
with  its  treasure  of  polishec  eggs,  while  two 
more  coming  upon  the  lair  of  a  wild  dog  stole 
one  of  the  mother's  sleeping  pups  and  laid  it  at 
the  English  lady's  feet. 

My  lord  was  pleased  with  the  attentions 
showered  upon  her  and  I  saw  him  more  than 
once  slip  bright  gold  pieces  into  the  hands  that 
bestowed  them.  He  often  fell  behind  Morgan 
and  D'Oyeron  to  exchange  gay  jests  with  her 
and  the  others  who  rode  in  the  rear.  But 
neither  of  the  leaders  would  permit  him  to  re 
main  long  away  from  their  sides.  The  wind 
of  the  Governor's  liking  had  veered  completely 
around  and  he  appeared  as  fond  of  my  lord  and 
his  merry  pranks  and  daring  ways,  as  any  of 
the  pirates  who  had  sailed  with  him. 

"  Look !  my  lord,"  he  cried,  pointing  to 
where  the  rough  sheds  of  a  tobacco  plantation 
showed  through  the  trees.  "  There  lives  a  fellow 
countryman  of  yours.  His  name  is  Belle  Tete 

263 


WHEN    the    LAND    'was    TO  UNO 

and  he  boasts  the  number  of  engages  who  have 
fallen  victims  to  his  cruelties.  He  swears  that 
they  have  all  died  of  sheer  laziness.  He  was 
forced  to  leave  St.  Christopher  and  now  I  but 
wait  the  fixing  of  a  crime  to  make  him  quit 
our  brotherhood.  Do  you  think  your  Governor 
would  receive  him  in  Carolina?  He  is  a  good 
worker  and  has  many  valuable  slaves." 

"  Zounds !  your  Honor,"  my  lord  exclaimed. 
"  We  have  Pharaohs  enough  in  that  colony,  as 
Captain  Middleton  is  here  to  testify.  There 
was  one  of  whose  inhumanities  my  father  wrote 
me.  He  threw  a  slave  into  a  pot  of  boiling 
molasses,  because  the  fellow  having  been  left  to 
tend  to  its  proper  boiling,  let  it  scorch.  We 
want  no  more  wicked  slave  drivers  in —  What 
is  the  matter  with  thee,  Angeli  ? "  he  ex 
claimed,  as  Sim  Taviss  came  bounding  through 
the  underbrush  of  the  forest,  his  face  ghastly 
white  and  his  eyes  like  to  pop  from  their  sock 
ets.  "  What  have  you  seen,  man — a  roaring 
lion  or  a  most  valiant  mouse?  " 

The  fool  grasped  my  lord's  stirrup  and  point 
ing  back  into  the  brush  muttered  something, 
which  at  first  none  of  us  could  make  out,  be 
cause  of  his  chattering  teeth.  Then  my  lord 
cried :  "  He  says,  your  Honor,  that  he  saw  two 
men  beat  a  third  until  his  back  streamed  with 
blood,  and  though  he  died,  they  still  continued 

264 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

to  beat  him.  I  think  your  Honor  can  get  all  the 
proof  you  need." 

"  And  by  the  Lord,  if  it  is  so  he  shall  suffer 
the  extreme  penalty,"  Morgan  cried,  before 
D'Oyeron  could  frame  a  reply.  "  No  shouts, 
men,"  he  cried,  and  instantly  the  loud  talking 
and  questioning  that  had  begun  ceased.  "  Send 
your  lieutenant,  Governor,  and  you  Bras  de 
Fer,  and  you  Swann — "  and  the  men  whom  he 
named  left  the  road  and  struck  out  into  the 
woods.  "  Not  you,  my  lord,"  he  exclaimed. 
But  he  talked  to  deaf  ears,  for  the  young  gal 
lant  having  been  the  first  to  leave  his  saddle, 
was  in  the  lead  with  his  simpleton. 

Morgan's  eyes  were  upon  me  as  I  left  my 
horse  and  struck  out  after  the  others.  He 
nodded  approval  and  said,  "  We  will  meet  you 
at  the  plantation  houses." 

I  was  swift  of  foot  and  more  accustomed 
to  the  forest  than  either  the  Governor's  lieu 
tenant  or  the  pirate  who  went  with  him.  I 
passed  them  and  came  up  with  my  lord  and  the 
old  hunter,  just  as  a  most  blood-curdling  howl 
rent  the  air,  and  located  that  which  we  sought. 
We  hastened  on,  breaking  through  the  vines 
and  low  hanging  bows,  made  desperate  by  the 
piteous  cries  that  continued  to  sound  before 
us ;  they  were  cries  such  as  only  the  tortures  of 
fiends  might  wring  from  the  throats  of  their 

265 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

victims  and  which  I  felt  had  more  than  once 
escaped  from  my  unconscious  lips  as  I  swung 
in  the  iron  cage  at  Augustine. 

Bursting  through  a  tangled  mass  of  purple- 
blossomed  creepers  and  pine  boughs  we  came 
upon  those  for  whom  we  looked,  they  were  so 
intent  on  their  devilish  work  that  they  did  not 
hear  us  until  we  ran  almost  upon  them.  Then 
the  creature  who  anointed  the  bleeding  back  of 
the  bound  man,  threw  down  his  mop  and  cala 
bash,  and  fled  with  the  monster  who  had  di 
rected  his  work 

"  'Tis  lemon  juice  with  pepper  and  salt,"  the 
old  hunter  exclaimed,  examining  the  contents 
of  the  calabash.  "  They  mopped  his  wounds 
with  it  to  make  them  smart  the  more,  the  curs." 
And  he  fell  to  cursing  while  Bras  de  Fer  and  I 
struggled  to  unknot  the  leather  thongs  that 
bound  the  mutilated  wretch  across  the  trunk 
of  a  felled  tree. 

"  He  has  but  fainted,"  my  lord  said,  as  he 
held  his  hand  over  the  fellow's  heart,  "  He  has 
not  a  villain's  face  and  his  body  looks  starved, 
and  scarred  from  many  cruel  blows.  Mayhap 
he  is  the  son  of  some  unfortunate  gentleman, 
sold  for  his  father's  debts.  He  seems  but  a 
lad." 

"  My  lord,"  the  mate  cried,  rising  from  the 
other  side  of  the  log,  "  you  weep !  " 

266 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

"  Bras  de  Fer,"  my  lord  answered,  the 
passion  in  his  eyes  flashing  through  the  tears 
that  still  clung  to  his  lashes,  "  if  thou  hast 
never  shed  tears  at  the  sight  of  human  misery, 
I  call  thee — devil !  " 

"  My  lord,  I  thought  not  to  offend  you,"  the 
giant  told  him  with  more  of  humility  ringing 
in  his  voice  than  I  had  thought  in  the  whole  of 
his  gigantic  body.  "  I  rate  you  both  brave 
and  noble." 

My  lord  answered  not  a  word  but  strode  off 
at  the  side  of  Master  Swann,  while  Bras  de  Fer, 
myself,  the  lieutenant  and  the  fool  followed, 
taking  turns  at  bearing  the  swooning  engage. 
When  we  reached  the  rough  reed  houses  of  the 
plantation  we  found  Morgan  and  the  rest  of 
the  party  were  before  us.  He  had  called  to 
gether  all  the  slaves  and  engages  and  held 
them  in  readiness  to  send  under  guard  to 
the  city.  When  the  English  lady  saw  us 
come  bearing  the  fainting  man,  and  caught  a 
glimpse  of  his  mutilated  back,  she  left  her 
chair  and  with  her  serving  woman  came 
forward  offering  assistance.  Bras  de  Fer  was 
against  her  doing  aught,  but  Morgan  silenced 
him. 

"  Nay,"  he  cried  to  the  pirate,  "  give  the  lady 
place  and  let  her  have  her  way.  Woman's  hands 
are  best  suited  for  such  work,  and  wounds 

267 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

heal  all  the  better  for  the  touch  of  woman's 
fingers." 

She  laved  his  back,  in  hopes  of  cleansing  it 
of  the  stinging  lemon  juice,  and  having  an 
ointed  it  with  hog's  fat  would  have  him  placed 
in  the  chair  in  which  her  serving  woman  had 
ridden  and  her  accompany  him  back  to  the 
city. 

"  He  is  an  Englishman,  your  Honors,"  she 
exclaimed,  with  tears  in  her  gentle  eyes  when 
Morgan  and  D'Oyeron  remonstrated  with  her 
for  wasting  so  much  sympathy  on  a  slave. 

"  He  is  a  fellow  creature  with  a  soul  and  the 
power  to  suffer,"  said  my  lord,  coming  to  her 
assistance,  and  I  thought  his  the  broader  creed. 

"  Give  them  their  way,  Governor,"  Morgan 
cried,  in  his  bluff  manner  sweeping  all  oppo 
sition  aside.  "  We  send  these  slaves  and  en 
gages  to  the  city,  Captain  Middleton,"  he 
continued,  answering  the  question  which  he 
read  in  my  eyes,  "  that  they  may  formally  be 
declared  free  from  the  steps  of  the  Governor's 
house  by  the  town  crier.  Then  as  free  citizens 
and  members  of  the  brotherhood  of  buccaneers, 
they  receive  a  knife,  a  gun,  and  twenty  rounds 
of  ammunition  if  they  wish  to  become  hunters ; 
a  plot  of  land,  and  some  few  tools  if  planters; 
and  arms  with  permission  to  ship  before  the 
mast  if  sea  rovers.  We  have  no  Spaniards 

268 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

among  us,  and  such  their  master  has  proved 
himself  to  be  at  heart,  if  not  by  birth.  If 
caught  he  will  be  taken  by  the  first  ship  leaving 
the  harbor  and  marooned  on  some  small  island. 
This  hound  whose  houses  and  fields  you  see 
around  you  and  whom  you  caught  at  his  devil's 
work,  will,  I  doubt  not,  escape  over  the  moun 
tains  and  tramp  across  the  island  to  join  some 
Spanish  settlement  on  the  other  side.  His 
lands  and  all  other  possessions  besides  his 
slaves  and  engages  are  forfeit  and  become  the 
common  property  of  the  brotherhood." 

"  Tis  fit  treatment,  your  Honor,  and  I  would 
that  Carolina  had  such  a  law  for  her  cruel 
slave  owners,"  I  told  him,  thinking  of  the  fiend 
whose  plantation  lay  some  short  distance  above 
Charleston  and  who  the  year  before  had  killed 
two  bound  apprentices  by  cruelty  and  starva 
tion,  and  who  to  evade  the  law  had  smeared 
their  dying  lips  with  raw  eggs  that  he  might 
be  able  to  swear  that  he  had  pressed  food  upon 
them. 

We  saw  the  band  of  slaves  move  off  toward 
the  city,  the  injured  wretch  borne  in  the  chair; 
then  we  set  out  for  the  rendezvous  of  Master 
Swann.  The  huts  were  of  roughly  woven 
reeds  thatched  with  palm  leaves,  and  there  was 
one  much  larger  and  more  closely  woven  than 
the  rest  in  which  Master  Swann  explained,  the 

269 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

bucan  was  smoked  and  stored.  A  huge  tree 
had  been  felled  and  the  upper  side  of  its  trunk 
roughly  leveled  with  an  adze.  This  was  to 
serve  as  our  table  and  the  feast  was  being  pre 
pared  by  half  a  dozen  black  slaves. 

"  We  have  no  cloth  of  gold,  from  which  to 
serve  you,  lady,"  Master  Swann  said  to  the 
English  lady,  when  the  women  had  taken  their 
seats  upon  the  heaps  of  dry  moss  and  freshly 
picked  leaves  with  which  the  ground,  under 
the  limbs  of  the  giant  trees,  was  strewn. 
"  Fresh  banana  leaves  serve  us  for  both  clothes 
and  dishes." 

'  .  would  see  your  bucan,  Master  Swann," 
my  lord  said,  leaving  his  seat  while  all  the 
others  of  the  party  were  refreshing  themselves 
by  drinking  sangaree.  "  I  have  heard  much 
of  your  manner  of  curing  and  cooking  meats 
and  would  see  it  done.  Will  you  not  go  with 
us,  Captain  Middleton  ?  "  he  asked,  as  the  old 
hunter  led  the  way  towards  the  large  hut. 

Swann  pulled  aside  the  heavy  mat  of  leaves 
that  covered  the  only  opening  to  this  house, 
and  we  entered  to  be  well  nigh  choked  with  the 
smoke  and  fumes  of  cooking  meats.  Two 
black  slaves  were  busy  with  the  work.  One 
stood  at  the  side  of  a  stout  wooden  frame  upon 
which  was  stretched  the  carcasses  of  two  huge 

270 


WHEN  the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

hogs,  while  the  other  was  stirring  the  contents 
of  a  deep  and  broad  cauldron. 

"  This  is  our  bucan,  my  lord,"  Master 
Svvann  said,  pointing  to  the  wooden  frame. 
"  These  two  wild  boars  were  killed  this 
morning,  skinned  and  gutted,  then  stretched 
whole  upon  the  spits.  The  charcoal  fire  has 
been  kept  burning  beneath  for  several  hours, 
and  this  man  continually  pricks  the  flesh,  that 
the  sauce,  which  you  see  in  the  belly,  may 
penetrate." 

"  And  the  sauce,  Master  Swann,"  my  lord 
questioned,  "  of  what  is  it  composed  ?  It  has 
a  most  appetizing  odor." 

"  The  juices  of  limes  and  citrons,  salt, 
crushed  pimento,  and  pepper,"  Master  Swann 
answered.  "  Those  birds,"  pointing  to  a  long 
tray  of  bark  piled  high  writh  freshly  plucked 
birds,  "  are  quails  killed  on  the  mountain  side 
by  my  matelot  this  morning,  and  will  be  cooked 
by  throwing  them  into  the  bellies  of  the  two 
hogs.  When  you  come  to  taste  them,  I'll  war 
rant  that  your  lordship  will  grant  that  you 
have  never  eaten  more  toothsome  morsels,  not 
even  at  the  table  of  King  Louis." 

"  That  I  can  easily  believe,"  my  lord  replied. 
"  Captain  Middleton,  I  will  charge  you  to  take 
notice  how  the  frame  of  the  bucan  is  con 
structed,  so  that  when  we  return  to  Charleston 

271 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TO  UNO 

you  can  teach  your  English  friends,  while  I 
will  show  them  how  to  make  the  sauce.  And 
the  cauldron,  Master  Swann?" 

"  'Tis  but  the  hind  quarters  of  two  oxen, 
my  lord,"  replied  the  hunter.  "  In  the  earthen 
oven  potatoes,  yams,  maize  and  cassava  cakes 
are  baking.  These,  with  the  wild  fruits 
plucked  fresh  from  the  forest  will  make  up  the 
poor  dinner  which  I  must  spread  before  your 
lordship  and  my  other  guests." 

"  And  which  Lucullus,  himself,  might  praise. 
Master  Swann,"  my  lord  cried  heartily.  "  My 
one  request  is  that  you  keep  us  not  long  wait 
ing.  I  am  sure  it  is  a  wish  that  will  be  most 
zealously  backed  by  both  Captain  Middleton 
and  Bras  de  Fer." 

I  turned  my  head,  startled — for  I  had  not 
been  aware  of  another's  presence.  The  pirate 
was  there  standing  at  my  elbow.  The  cook 
piled  in  the  birds,  then  leaning  down  cast  into 
the  bed  of  burning  coals  what  remained  of  the 
skin  and  bones  of  the  hogs. 

"  Ah!  "exclaimed  my  lord.  "  By  that  means 
your  smoke  is  rendered  thick  and  full  of  am 
monia,  and  your  meat  doubly  sweet." 

We  left  the  hut  and  going  back  to  where  the 
others  sat  found  the  slaves  busily  preparing  to 
serve  the  meal.  It  was  served  us  on  banana 
leaves,  strips  of  bark  and  in  the  broken  bowls 

272 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

of  calabash.  There  were  no  forks,  and  the 
women  were  compelled  to  call  on  the  men  for 
the  use  of  their  hunting  knives,  to  cut  the  meats 
and  fruits  into  bits  small  enough  for  their  hand 
ling. 

"  Mind  your  own  business !  "  I  heard  my  lord 
command,  and  looking  up  I  saw  that  he  spoke 
to  Bras  de  Fer.  "  I  need  not  your  helping. 
When  I  would  be  served  I  will  call  for  L'An- 
geli.  Get  away !  "  he  cried  in  the  tone  of  a  petu 
lant  child,  and  the  chapfallen  giant  meekly  did 
as  he  was  ordered. 

We  left  the  rendezvous  and  mounting  our 
horses  rode  on  in  the  direction  of  the  little 
prairie.  It  was  just  past  the  noon  hour  and  the 
condonli  and  the  passion  flower  of  all  sizes, 
from  a  thumb  ring  to  a  soup  plate,  had  shut 
thei.  blossoms ;  the  monkeys  and  noisy  parrots 
were  no  longer  to  be  seen,  and  even  the  gleam 
ing  lizards  and  the  bright  colored  humming 
birds  hid  themselves  away  from  the  vertical 
rays  of  the  sun. 

Coming  to  the  edge  of  the  forest  we  rested, 
while  Master  Swann  skirted  the  prairie  in 
search  of  the  herd  of  cattle  and  those  who 
watched  them.  It  was  but  a  short  space,  then, 
hearing  his  signal,  the  slaves  led  out  the  horses. 

"  I  would  have  the  black  mare,  Governor," 
my  lord  cried,  pointing  out  a  horse,  the  most 

273 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

beautiful,  as  well  as  the  most  fiery,  and  restless 
of  the  lot. 

"  Take  her,  my  lord,"  the  Governor  an 
swered.  "  I  know  nothing  about  her  temper, 
but  that  she  has  been  trained  in  the  sport  is 
evidenced  by  the  bend  of  her  right  ear." 

My  lord  went  forward,  sprang  lightly  into 
the  saddle  and  receiving  the  hocksing  lance 
from  an  engage  rode  out  upon  the  prairie. 

"  You  must  not  ride  that  horse,  my  lord," 
Bras  de  Fer  exclaimed  excitedly,  on  seeing  him. 

"Why  not?"  my  lord  demanded. 

"  Because  she  has  no  nerve  and  cannot  stand 
the  rush  of  a  bull.  She  will  obey  no  signal 
when  a  maddened  animal  turns  in  her  direction. 
She  unseats  her  rider  and  flees  as  though  pos 
sessed  by  the  devil  himself.  You  must  not 
ride  her,  my  lord." 

"  Must  is  a  strong  word,  Master  Bras  de 
Fer,"  my  lord  answered.  "  That  can  only  be 
answered  by — I  will." 

"  Admiral,"  the  pirate  cried,  appealing  to 
Morgan,  and  there  was  the  greatest  concern  in 
both  his  tone  and  manner,  "  my  lord  should 
not  ride  that  horse.  I  have  seen  it  throw  three 
riders,  and  each  one  was  gored  and  trampled 
by  a  maddened  bull." 

"  My  lord !  "  Morgan  cried,  stopping  in  the 
act  of  mounting  the  horse  held  for  him. 

274 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

He  called  too  late.  There  sounded  a  hoarse 
bellow  and  a  half  score  of  wild  cattle  rushed 
from  the  forest  on  to  the  opposite  side  of  the 
prairie,  pursued  by  a  crowd  of  shouting  men 
and  barking  dogs.  My  lord  was  off  to  meet 
them,  his  long  hocksing  shaft  pressed  down 
upon  his  horse's  right  ear.  Bras  de  Fer 
sprang  upon  a  horse  and  rushed  after  him,  his 
face  white  and  drawn  as  though  with  mortal 
terror. 


275 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 


1  FORCED  my  horse  hard  after  the  pirate 
giant,  Morgan  thundering  at  my  side, 
while  behind  I  could  hear  the  hoof-beats 
and  calls  of  D'Oyeron  and  his  lieutenants. 

The  drivers  separated  the  leader,  a  huge  dun- 
colored  bull  with  wide  spreading  horns,  from 
the  herd,  and  drove  him  to  meet  us  in  the  mid 
dle  of  the  prairie.  The  dogs  snapped  at  his 
nose  and  hocks  and  he  came  charging  first  at 
one  and  then  at  another  of  his  tormentors, 
until  within  a  few  rods  of  where  we  all  stood 
waiting.  The  hunters  whistled  their  dogs  and 
they  slipped  away  in  the  tall  grass  and  left  the 
maddened,  foam-covered  brute  bellowing  and 
staring  about  him,  in  search  of  some  living 
thing  on  which  to  vent  his  fury.  He  saw  us, 
threw  up  his  head,  and  stared;  then,  with  an 
angry  sniff  and  bellow,  as  though  daring  us  to 
mortal  combat,  he  came  slowly  forward. 

Morgan's  horse,  apparently  without  word  or 
signal,  stepped  out  as  though  in  answer  to  this 
challenge,  and  walked  forward  to  meet  him. 

276 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

The  bull  stopped,  the  horse  stood  still,  and  thus 
for  a  long  minute  they  faced.  The  buccaneer 
sat  like  a  statue,  his  rein  hung  loose,  and  the 
shaft  of  his  hocksing  spear  pressed  hard  against 
the  side  of  his  horse's  head.  There  was  a  shout 
from  a  hunter,  and  two  dogs  sprang  from  the 
sedge  at  the  horse's  feet  and  ran  towards  the 
bull  barking  furiously.  They  rushed  at  his 
head  and  one  sprang  up  and  tried  to  bury  its 
fangs  in  his  nostrils.  He  charged  them,  first 
one  side,  then  the  other,  but  they  circled  around 
him,  bringing  up  at  the  horse's  feet,  and  dared 
him  on  by  their  barking. 

The  horse  stepped  forward,  the  dogs  at  its 
side  still  barking.  The  bull  glared,  then  low 
ered  its  head  and  with  a  mighty  bellow  that 
was  flung  back  to  us  by  a  hundred  echoes  from 
the  mountain  side,  lowered  its  head  and  charged 
straight  upon  Morgan's  horse.  Man  and  horse 
were  motionless.  The  dogs  disappeared  in  the 
tall  grass.  I  held  my  breath  as  on  the  great 
brute  came,  the  horse  sprang  to  one  side  and  the 
bull  ran  full  ten  feet  beyond  the  spot  where  he 
had  thought  to  kill  his  enemy. 

Again  the  dogs  were  at  him,  daring  him 
against  the  horse.  He  lowered  his  head  and 
with  a  bellow  even  more  furious  came  charging 
back.  The  horse  sprang  aside,  and  the  brute, 
as  though  taught  by  experience,  turned  almost 

277 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

as  quickly,  and  was  charging  again.  The 
hocksing  lance  slipped  down,  its  half-moon 
shaped  blade  struck  a  hind  leg  of  the  beast 
nearly  severing  it.  The  horse  wheeled  to  the 
left,  escaping  the  charge  of  the  wounded  ani 
mal.  Losing  sight  of  his  enemy,  and  infuri 
ated  by  pain  and  fear,  the  bull  came  charging 
upon  the  group  of  horsemen  who  up  to  that 
moment  had  taken  no  part  in  his  torture.  I 
felt  my  horse  stiffen  under  me,  prepared  for  the 
charge.  Not  so  with  the  beast  my  lord  rode. 
She  gave  a  sound,  a  half  whinny  of  terror,  and 
sprang  forward  as  though  to  turn  and  flee  from 
the  approaching  danger.  Bras  de  Fer's  horse 
was  wheeled  in  front  of  her,  wedging  her 
against  my  animal's  flank,  his  hand  grasped 
her  nose,  pressing  it  down  and  back  upon  her 
shoulder. 

The  bull  sank  down  within  a  few  feet  of  our 
group  moaning  in  terror  and  pain.  The  hock- 
sing  iron  of  his  enemy  had  caught  him  around 
the  foreleg.  Morgan  dismounted  and  drawing 
his  hunting  knife  from  his  belt  stabbed  the 
prostrate  beast  in  the  neck  behind  the  horns, 
severing  his  spinal  marrow. 

"  You  will  change  horses  with  me,  my  lord," 
Bras  de  Fer  said,  dismounting  with  his  hand 
still  grasping  the  nose  of  my  lord's  trembling 

278 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

beast.  His  tone  was  commanding  and  his  face 
was  white  and  stern. 

Without  a  word  my  lord  did  as  he  was  bid, 
and  throughout  the  remainder  of  the  sport 
sat  silent,  his  horse  standing  between  my  own 
and  Bras  de  Fer's. 

When  we  rode  back  to  the  spot  under  the 
trees  at  the  edge  of  the  forest,  from  which  the 
women  and  slaves  had  watched  us,  the  skin 
ners  were  busy  over  the  three  huge  bulls  left 
dead  on  the  field.  The  rest  of  the  herd  was 
being  driven  back  into  the  forest  on  the  moun 
tain  side  by  the  hunters  and  their  dogs.  We 
wasted  no  time,  but  pushed  on  back  to  the 
city,  for  it  was  well  towards  sunset,  and  every 
man  and  woman  in  the  town,  excepting  only  the 
guards  in  the  castle  and  the  fort,  were  to  feast 
with  their  admiral  in  the  great  tribunal  hall 
adjoining  the  Governor's  house. 

"  My  lord  has  lost  his  merry  humor,"  I 
heard  the  French  pirate  say  to  him  who  had 
sailed  the  galleon  as  my  mate,  after  we  had 
gone  a  short  distance  from  the  prairie. 

"  He  is  chapfallen  because  none  of  the  bulls 
were  of  his  slaying,"  Cayman  answered,  look 
ing  up  into  the  pensive  face  of  the  nobleman,  so 
near  whose  side  he  strode  that  he  might  have 
touched  his  stirrup.  "  'Tis  a  humor  which 

279 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

becomes  his  beauty  and  makes  his  face  look 
like  some  fair  flower." 

"  Or  some  sweet-faced  maid,  were  there  any 
half  so  beautiful,"  the  Frenchman  answered. 

"  You  have  your  mother's  eyes  I'll  warrant, 
my  lord,"  Cayman  said,  respectfully  touching 
the  young  count's  elbow  to  attract  his  atten 
tion.  "  For  when  you  looked  off  towards  the 
mountains  but  a  short  while  gone,  I  saw  the 
woman  lurking  in  their  great  solemn  depths." 

"  If  I  had  been  a  woman.  Cayman,"  my  lord 
asked,  turning  towards  him  a  face  that  was  all 
seriousness,  "  and  had  come  into  your  midst, 
what  then?  " 

The  pirate  opened  his  great  jaw  and  laughed. 
"  Had  you  been  a  maid  taken  in  Augustine,  my 
lord?  "  he  asked. 

"  Yes,  what  then?  How  would  ye  all  have 
used  me?  " 

"  We'd  had  small  chance  even  to  spy  at  you, 
my  lord,  so  long  as  Cap'n  Hawkins  remained 
above  deck;  to  that  you  may  swear,"  the  pirate 
cried. 

"  But  him  wounded  and  like  to  die,  what 
then  ?  "  my  lord  still  questioned  most  earnestly. 

"  Then,  my  lord,"  Cayman  answered,  with  a 
grin  that  was  not  pleasant  to  see,  "  had  there 
been  a  maid  with  but  half  your  beauty  in  the 
state  cabin  after  the  Spaniards  were  slain,  we 

280 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

would  have  fought  among  ourselves  for  the  pos 
session  of  her,  and  I  fear  me  that  there  would 
not  have  been  men  enough  left  alive  to  sail  even 
one  ship  into  port." 

"  And  yet,"  my  lord  said,  softly  as  though 
musing,  "  ye  harmed  not  the  two  women  I  had 
with  me  nor  the  Spanish  prisoners." 

"Pish!  my  lord,"  cried  the  Frenchman, 
"  you  are  a  court  gallant  and  should  know  the 
difference  between  women.  There  is  not  so 
much  beauty  among  those  eight  women  as  there 
is  in  one  of  your  lordship's  white  hands.  But  as 
for  a  maid  with  your  great  beauty,  we  have 
seen  no  such  and  would  have  all  gone  mad 
about  her.  Even  the  mate's  strong  arm  and 
your  own  good  sword,  my  lord,  could  not  have 
saved  her  from  us." 

Both  Cayman  and  the  French  pirate  laughed 
as  though  mightily  amused. 

"  I  am  glad  I  chanced  to  be  a  man  when  I 
fell  among  you — ye  devils !  "  my  lord  cried,  his 
eyes  flashing  with  passion  as  he  dug  his  spurs 
into  his  horse's  flank  and  rode  forward  to  join 
Sir  Henry  Morgan  and  the  Governor. 

I  entered  the  tribunal  chamber,  where  the  feast 
was  spread,  with  Bras  deFer  and  Master  Swann, 
and  we  stopped  and  stared  about  us  amazed. 
The  great  room  had  been  enlarged  by  the  tear 
ing  down  of  separating  partitions  between  ad- 

281 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

joining  rooms  and  halls,  until  nearly  all  of  the 
building  was  thrown  together.  The  floor  was 
covered  with  clean  sand  and  strewn  with  fresh 
rushes.  Against  the  walls  trailed  blooming 
vines,  and  garlands  of  bright  flowers  hung 
from  the  brackets  in  which  were  thrust  flaring 
torches.  There  were  nine  long  tables,  all  spread 
with  cloths  of  silver,  excepting  the  one  which 
ran  down  the  middle  of  the  room.  That  one 
was  covered  by  a  cloth  of  gold,  and  glittered 
with  the  magnificence  of  its  gold  and  silver 
vessels. 

I  found  myself  placed  between  the  Gover 
nor's  lieutenant  and  the  captain  of  the  Phcenix, 
and  nearer  the  head  of  the  table  than  I  had  sat 
the  night  before.  My  lord  was  not  present, 
nor  was  his  aunt,  nor  were  there  any  places  re 
served  for  them.  I  looked  among  the  slaves 
who  served  for  their  black  woman,  but  did  not 
find  her.  Listening,  I  heard  the  brawling 
voice  of  Sim  Taviss,  and  knew  that  he  sat  near 
the  foot  of  one  of  the  tables  covered  by  a  silver 
cloth. 

As  the  feast  went  on  small  rations  of  wine 
were  served,  and  I  heard  some  few  complaints, 
but  they  were  soon  silenced  by  those  who  sat 
about  the  grumblers. 

'Tis  because  he  has  been  idling  in  Jamaica, 
where  I  am  told  the  English  live  wondrous  dry 

282 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

lives,"  I  heard  a  rich  planter  say  to  a  pirate 
captain.  "  Had  he  been  on  the  high  seas  he 
would  know  better  how  to  drink  good  wine." 

"  Pish!  man,"  the  pirate  answered.  "  Ye  land 
crabs  know  not  the  Admiral.  He  is  neither  a 
drunkard  nor  a  glutton.  I  served  under  him, 
as  ship  master  both  when  he  went  against  Ma- 
racaibo  and  Panama,  and  never  saw  him  the 
worse  for  too  much  wine.  Neither  hunger,  nor 
fear,  nor  passion  throws  Morgan  off  his 
guard." 

I  believed  the  man's  report  and  was  none  the 
happier  for  my  belief.  As  the  time  wore  on, 
and  the  feasting  continued,  I  watched  the  noted 
pirate,  listened  to  his  talk  and  smiled  at  his 
jests,  with  a  feeling  that  grew  to  bitterest  hate. 
Dread  griped  my  heart  and  I  became  sick  from 
fear  as  I  realized  the  helplessness  of  my  posi 
tion.  I  ate  little,  and  pushed  away  my  wine  un 
touched.  At  least  I  too  could  keep  a  cool  head 
and  be  on  my  guard. 

There  were  many  shouts  and  toasts,  naming 
the  buccaneer  chief  and  the  cities  he  had  sacked 
or  the  vessels  he  had  captured.  Time  and  time 
again,  all  in  that  great  room  sprang  to  their 
feet,  calling  for  his  return  to  the  high  seas.  All 
their  toasts  were  drunk  in  his  honor,  and  they 
drank  as  many  as  wine  was  allowed  them.  I 
played  my  part,  though  the  wine  in  my  glitter- 

283 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

ing  goblet  remained  untasted.  I  rose  when 
those  about  me  left  their  seats,  shouted  when 
they  shouted,  though  I  neither  thought  of  the 
words  I  uttered  nor  listened  to  the  replies.  No 
one  called  for  my  lord,  nor  I  thought  had  even 
noted  his  absence;  for  I  had  seen  soon  after 
taking  my  seat  that  all  who  sailed  with  him, 
save  only  Bras  de  Fer  and  me,  had  been  placed 
at  other  tables. 

I  watched  every  movement  of  the  man  at  the 
head  of  the  board,  waiting  for  the  call  of  the 
sentinel  on  the  fort  announcing  midnight.  If 
the  Governor's  lieutenant  sought  to  converse 
with  me  he  got  small  return  for  his  pains,  and 
as  for  Bras  de  Fer  I  well  nigh  completely  for 
got  his  existence  until  feeling  some  one  pluck 
at  the  sleeve  of  my  doublet  I  turned  and  faced 
the  Captain  of  the  Phcenix. 

"  That  was  the  first  call,"  he  said,  his  face 
was  white  and  stern,  as  I  had  seen  it  that  day 
on  the  hocksing  field.  "  It  lacks  but  a  quarter 
of  the  hour." 

"  Yea,"  I  answered,  and  though  we  had 
spoken  no  word  I  understood  his  meaning,  and 
knew  that  I  did  not  stand  alone.  "  If  he  leaves 
the  hall?"  I  questioned. 

"  I  go  with  him  were  he  twenty  times  my  ad 
miral,"  he  answered,  and  his  eyes  glowed  as 
burning  coals.  I  liked  not  the  discovery  which 

284 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

I  felt  he  had  made,  but  my  heart  almost 
bounded  with  joy  at  that  which  I  knew  he  pur 
posed. 

It  was  perilously  near  the  hour.  My  heart 
was  beating  like  a  tilt-hammer,  and  sounded  in 
my  ears  as  the  roar  of  an  angry  sea.  Bras  de 
Fer  stirred  at  my  side,  and  I  saw  that  he  freed 
his  sword  from  its  scabbard. 

Sir  Henry  Morgan  rose  and  as  one  man  we 
two  left  our  seats. 

"  Keep  your  places,  gentlemen,"  the  bucca 
neer  chief  called,  motioning  us  down  with  a 
wave  of  his  hand.  "  And  cover  your  blades.  I 
like  not  the  torchlight  flashing  upon  them." 

Had  I  been  alone  I  might  have  followed  his 
bidding,  forced  to  it  by  the  calm  dignity  of  his 
voice  and  manner.  But  the  giant  at  my  side 
made  no  movement  of  obedience,  and  I  stood 
with  him.  There  was  that  on  our  faces  and  in 
our  manner,  I  suppose,  that  made  all  about  us 
stare.  What  would  have  been  the  outcome  I 
cannot  even  reckon. 

There  was  a  dead  silence.  Morgan  stood, 
and  Bras  de  Fer  and  I  were  also  standing.  I 
saw  that  the  eyes  of  the  buccaneer  admiral  left 
our  faces  and  traveled  down  over  the  long 
board.  The  guard  on  the  fort  called  the  hour 
of  midnight. 

The  great  door  at  the  end  of  the  room  swung 

285 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

open  and  we  stared  into  the  long  passage  lead 
ing  to  the  Governor's  house. 

The  corridor  was  so  brilliantly  lighted  that 
we  could  see  the  carved  figures  on  its  sides  and 
high  vaulted  roof.  The  door  at  the  rear  end 
was  closed.  Then  it  opened  and  a  troupe  of 
gaily  dressed  figures  issued  forth  and  came  to 
wards  us,  walking  between  the  long  line  of  flar 
ing  torches. 

"  Gentles,  I  would  have  you  push  your  board 
aside,"  Morgan  cried,  waving  to  those  around 
the  table  covered  by  a  cloth  of  gold.  "  All 
others  in  the  room  will  keep  their  seats,"  he 
commanded. 

The  table  was  pushed  aside  as  he  motioned, 
and  those  who  had  sat  about  it,  both  men  and 
women,  ranged  themselves  on  either  side  of 
the  place  where  it  had  stood.  Two  boys  entered 
from  the  passage-way,  and  walking  up  the  aisle 
thus  formed,  spread  a  strip  of  flame-colored 
damask  to  the  foot  of  the  dais  at  the  other  side 
of  the  room. 

The  troop  of  bright  figures  came  on;  I  saw 
that  they  were  women  in  gay  dresses  and  flash 
ing  jewels.  They  reached  the  door,  stood  for  a 
moment,  hesitating  before  entering. 

Then  she  who  walked  ahead  stepped  in.  The 
room  went  whirling  round,  all  else  was  blotted 

286 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

out  save  only  the  slender  figure  that  stood  just 
within  that  door. 

"  Lady,  will  you  not  come  and  take  the  seat 
reserved  for  you?  "  Morgan  cried,  and  though 
I  took  not  my  eyes  from  the  face  of  her  to 
whom  he  spoke,  I  knew  that  he  motioned  to  the 
great  chair  on  the  dais  wherein  the  Governor 
sat  when  giving  judgment.  "  We  have  met 
to  give  you  brave  welcome,  I  do  assure  you," 
he  added,  and  the  ring  of  truth  that  sounded  in 
his  voice  caused  the  bitter  hatred  that  had  con 
sumed  my  heart  to  turn  to  sincere  respect. 

It  was  Mistress  Antoinette  Huguenin.  Well 
might  all  the  people  in  that  great  room  stare,  for 
she  appeared  of  all  women  in  the  wide  world 
the  most  beautiful.  She  wore  neither  bright 
colors  nor  flashing  jewels,  but  a  long  train  of 
spotless  satin  whose  sheen  matched  in  whiteness 
the  pearls  that  gleamed  in  her  black  hair  and 
around  her  long  fair  throat.  She  was  like  a 
slender  lily  as  she  moved  up  that  strip  of  flame- 
colored  damask  with  downcast  eyes,  and  with 
all  of  shame,  proud  challenge,  and  wistful  en 
treaty  written  on  her  beautiful  face.  Following 
her  came  the  English  lady,  her  black  serving- 
woman,  and  the  six  Spanish  prisoners.  At  the 
foot  of  the  dais  the  Admiral  and  the  Governor, 
each  gave  her  a  hand  and  leading  her  up  the 

287 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

steps  stood  before  the  great  chair,  facing  the 
people. 

"  Mates !  "  Morgan  shouted,  so  loud  that 
those  who  sat  in  the  farthest  corners  of  the 
room  must  hear  distinctly,  "  last  night  we 
cheered  a  young  gallant  who  sang  us  gay  songs 
of  the  French  court,  and  love  ballads  in  our  own 
brave  English  tongue.  To-night  that  youth 
stands  before  you  none  the  less  gallant  because 
she  wears  the  garments  suited  to  her  sex. 
Look !  brothers,  and  ye  women — wives,  mothers 
and  daughters — I  would  have  ye  know  Ma 
demoiselle  Antoinette  Huguenin — the  child 
born  in  our  own  buccaneer  stronghold  who 
after  fourteen  years  comes  back,  the  famous 
beauty  of  the  French  court  and  who  last  night 
you  cheered  as  her  own  brother." 

The  blood  flamed  red  in  her  cheeks,  and  her 
head  straightened  up  on  a  slender  white 
throat. 

"  Sir  Henry  Morgan,  it  was  for  my  honor 
that  I  did  so  unsex  myself,"  she  cried.  With 
the  dignity  of  her  tone  and  bearing  there  was 
mingled  a  womanly  grace  and  pleading  that 
must  have  touched  all  those  who  listened. 
"  The  part  I  played  was  as  a  weapon  at  hand 
and  I  took  it  up.  It  seemed  the  only  road  left 
open  to  me  by  my  enemies  and  I  followed  it. 

288 


"  Look  !    I  would  hare  you  know  Mademoiselle  An 
toinette  Huguenin. ' ' 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

Because  I  did  many  strange  and  unseemly 
things,  uttered  unwomanly  curses,  and  strange 
oaths,  unfit  for  the  lips  of  an  honest  girl,  hold 
me  not  lightly,  I  pray  you." 

"  Madam,"  he  answered,  bowing  low  and 
with  all  deference  and  honor  ringing  in  his 
bluff  voice,  "  I  hold  you  not  lightly,  nor  could 
any  man  who  was  not  in  his  heart  worse  than 
scoundrel.  So  far  do  I  place  you  above  other 
women,  lady,  that  could  I  point  to  you  saying; 
'  that  is  my  daughter,  the  child  begot  from  my 
loins,'  I  would  willingly  give  all  the  brave 
deeds  that  men  account  to  my  name — even  the 
sacking  of  Puerto  Bello  and  the  title  with  which 
my  king  rewarded  me.  There  is  none  I  place 
above  you,  madam ;  not  one  I  hold  in  such  high 
esteem." 

"  When  you  came  into  my  city,  thinking  you 
your  father's  son,  I  sought  to  murder  you,  ma 
demoiselle,"  the  Governor  cried,  and  there  was 
none  in  the  room  who  did  not  hear  him.  "  But 
since  I  have  known  your  wit  and  noble  courage, 
I  almost  find  it  in  my  heart  to  forgive  the  man 
who  has  begotten  so  noble  a  child,  even  though 
that  man  be  Uldric  Huguenin,  my  bitterest 
enemy.  Lady,  I  would  kiss  your  hand  craving 
pardon  for  the  insults  I  sought  to  put  upon  you. 
I  pray  you  to  forgive  me  wholly."  He  bent  his 

289 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

knee  and  kissed  the  fingers  she  held  out  to  him 
with  all  the  graciousness  of  a  queen  to  a  subject 
forgiven. 

"  Admiral !  "  It  was  Cayman's  voice,  and 
turning  my  eyes  I  saw  him  among  the  group  of 
pirates  who  had  pushed  themselves  up  from  the 
bottom  of  the  room  to  within  good  earshot  of 
those  who  stood  on  the  dais.  "  Though  my 
lord  seems  my  lord  no  longer,  but  his  own  sister 
and  the  beauty  of  King  Louis'  court,  it  has  not 
changed  his  pretty  face  nor  the  great  courage 
for  which  we  loved  him.  He  cozened  us  all, 
and  beat  our  captain  and  our  mate  at  the  sword, 
but  since  he  had  beaten  the  great  king  before 
them,  how  could  any  man  hope  to  stand  ?  Be 
cause  he  has  proved  a  maid,  it  makes  us  who 
sailed  with  him  and  saw  his  brave  deeds,  love 
him  none  the  less,  and  mayhap  had  he  chanced 
to  fall  amongst  us  in  his  woman's  clothes,  we 
would  not  stand  before  you  such  honest  men." 

"  Aye,  aye!  "  the  pirates  about  him  shouted. 
"  Aye,  aye !  "  the  others, — merchants,  hunters, 
planters  and  sea-rovers,  all  took  up  the  cry 
until  the  great  room  was  filled  with  their  lusty 
shouts. 

Then  through  all  the  shouting,  staring  crowd 
of  men  and  women  I  saw  Sim  Taviss  shove  his 
way  and  stand  at  the  foot  of  the  dais,  gaping 
at  her  who  was  the  target  for  all  eyes.  Morgan 

290 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

waved  his  hand  commanding  silence,  and 
would  have  spoken,  but  the  fool's  voice  sounded 
before  his. 

"  My  lord !  "  he  cried  in  a  tone  of  sharp  re 
proach,  "  why  put  ye  on  woman's  clothes?  " 

"  Faith,  Sim,"  she  answered,  with  a  half 
laugh,  the  bright  humor  flashing  into  her  eyes 
and  voice  and  the  color  into  her  cheeks,  "  'twas 
because  they  changed  my  name  from  Uldric 
to  Antoinette.  Would'st  change  with  me, 
L' Angeli  ?  " 

"  Nay,  my  lord,"  he  replied  in  all  serious 
ness.  "  I  cannot  kiss  my  elbow." 

A  roar  of  laughter  as  great  as  had  been  the 
calls  of  applause  burst  forth  and  men  began  to 
shout  the  names,  "  Uldric,"  "  Antoinette."  It 
was  the  young  French  pirate's  voice  that  first 
called :  "  Our  young  court  gallant  with  all  a 
man's  courage,  a  woman's  wit  and  the  beauty 
of  an  angel."  Others  caught  it  up  and  the 
shout  went  back  and  forth  until  Morgan  again 
motioned  silence. 

"  There  be  those  among  ye,  brothers,"  he 
cried,  "  to  whom  the  maid  who  sailed  with  you, 
and  won  your  love  by  her  pretty  face  and  brave 
ways,  and  made  you  fear  her  good  sword,  will 
ever  be  a  gay  court  gallant  as  the  child  of  our 
old  age  is  always  a  baby.  But  there  stands  one 
among  you  who  has  known  her  as  woman  for 

291 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

many  a  day,  and  as  such  yesterday,  shielded  her 
from  death.  Bras  de  Fer,  have  ye  no  greeting 
for  the  lady  whose  presence  \ve  all  would 
honor?" 

Thus  called,  the  captain  of  the  Phoenix,  with 
face  no  whit  less  pale  than  it  had  been  when  he 
plucked  the  sleeve  of  my  doublet,  left  my  side 
and  striding  up  to  the  dais  bent  his  knee  to  her 
who  stood  between  the  Admiral  and  the  Gover 
nor  of  his  brotherhood.  Her  face  flushed  crim 
son,  her  eyes  drooped,  as  with  a  gesture  at  once 
pleading  and  timid  she  extended  her  hand  to 
him.  His  head  with  its  mass  of  shining  fair 
hair  sank  down,  past  her  hand,  and  he  stooped 
and  kissed  the  hem  of  her  garment. 


292 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 


WITH  summer  in  my  heart  we  sailed 
through  summer  seas.     The  fourth 
day  found  us  off  the  coast  of  Caro 
lina,  cruising  somewhat  to  the  south,  waiting 
for  sight  of  our  consort  before  entering  the 
harbor  of  Charleston. 

"  I  would  hear  from  Jamaica,  Captain  Mid- 
dleton,  before  putting  myself  in  the  hands  of 
your  Governor,"  Morgan  told  me  as  wre  sat  on 
the  poop  deck  watching  the  bends  of  the  green 
coast.  "  If  my  commission  has  been  with 
drawn  and  I  am  called  back  to  England  the 
Governor  of  your  Colony  will  have  been  noti 
fied,  and  as  the  officer  sworn  to  obey  the  orders 
of  the  king  and  the  company  it  will  be  his  duty 
to  apprehend  me  as  a  fugitive." 

'  You  sail  in  King  James'  packet;  you  have 
received  no  notice  of  a  warrant  against  you, 
and  you  return  to  Charleston  three  citizens 
taken  from  under  her  very  guns  by  the  Span 
iards."  It  was  the  voice  of  Mistress  Antoinette 
Huguenin  and  her  tone  was  an  indignant  pro 

293 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    YOUNG 

test.  "  There  can  be  no  justice  in  your  arrest. 
Besides,  Governor  Quarry  is  not  wont  to  stick 
so  to  the  letter  of  the  law,  for  I  have  heard  that 
he  could  be  generous  as  well  as  just." 

Morgan  laughed,  well  pleased  by  her  vehe 
mence,  "  I  thank  you,  lady,"  he  cried.  "  But 
I  do  not  purpose  to  put  to  test  the  generosity  of 
the  Governor  of  Carolina.  It  hath  been  the 
pleasure  of  the  proprietors  to  displace  Gover 
nor  Quarry,  and  put  in  his  stead  the  husband 
of  the  lady  who  sails  as  your  aunt,  and,  who 
as  Captain  Middleton  can  tell  you,  has  no  fond 
ness  for  sea-rovers." 

"  Master  Joseph  Moreton,"  I  cried,  amazed 
by  his  news.  It  was  scarce  two  months  since 
I  had  left  Charleston,  and  at  that  time  I  knew 
Master  Moreton  and  his  party  did  not  stand 
too  high  in  the  esteem  of  either  the  king  or 
the  proprietors.  I  could  not  even  guess  what 
upheaval  had  brought  about  his  appointment. 
"  If  it  is  Governor  Moreton  now,  the  Sober 
Party  is  in  power,  and  Carolina  is  like  to  have 
good  government." 

"  Governor  Moreton  ?  "  the  English  lady 
questioned  in  surprise. 

'  Yes,  madam,"  the  buccaneer  answered, 
doffing  his  hat  and  bowing  low.  "  Your  hus 
band  is  responsible  to  the  company,  who  elects 
him,  for  the  proper  keeping  of  King  James' 

294 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

laws  in  the  province  of  Carolina.  He  received 
his  Governor's  warrant  by  the  same  ship,  in 
which  sailed  the  gentleman  who  succeeded  me 
as  deputy  to  my  lord  Earl  of  Carlisle.  Had  it 
not  been  the  report  which  that  packet  brought  of 
the  prisoners  held  in  Augustine,  I  very  much 
doubt  me,"  he  exclaimed,  eyeing  Mistress  Hu- 
guenin  with  a  droll  laugh,  "  if  I  should  not  have 
believed  the  young  court  gallant,  whom  I  found 
brawling  in  the  buccaneer  city  on  Hispaniola, 
in  very  truth  the  son  of  my  old  friend — the 
posthumous  child  of  his  mother.  You  were  a 
pretty  boy,  Mistress  Antoinette,  and  acted  the 
part  thrust  upon  you  as  mate  of  that  pirate  ship 
to  the  king's  taste,  that  I'll  warrant.  Zounds! 
but  I  should  like  to  see  your  Grand  Monarque 
when  it  is  reported  to  him.  They  tell  me  that 
he  has  the  devil's  own  love  for  a  merry  jest, 
when  Madam  Solidity  is  not  by  with  her  black 
robed  priests.  Will  ye  tell  him  of  your  gay 
masquerade,  lady?  " 

"  Nay,  Sir  Henry,"  the  girl  answered,  with 
a  gleam  of  roguishness  in  her  great  black  eyes, 
while  her  cheeks  were  rose  red.  "  I  purpose  not 
to  return  so  soon  to  France.  Yet  if  chance  had 
taken  me  there,  I  know  of  none  to  whom  I 
would  sooner  have  told  the  tale  of  my  misbe 
havior  than  to  King  Louis.  For  he  has  the 
heart  to  enjoy  a  report  of  your  wild  pirate  life. 

295 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

and  has  ever  proved  my  most  indulgent  master. 
But  in  the  news  brought  you  from  Charleston, 
your  Honor,  was  there  no  mention  of  my 
father?" 

"  Only  that  he  had  but  just  returned  to 
Charleston  with  what  remained  of  Captain 
Middleton's  party  and  their  Indian  allies,"  he 
answered. 

"  When  I  last  saw  my  father,  he  was  in 
chains,  and  they  walled  him  up  in  the  dungeon 
of  Augustine  to  die  of  thirst  and  starvation," 
she  said.  Then  turning  upon  me  eyes  brim 
ming  with  unshed  tears,  added,  "  I  have  much 
to  thank  you  for,  Captain  Middleton." 

"  And  greater  reward  has  no  man  received, 
Captain  Middleton,"  Morgan  cried  laughing, 
though  not  unkindly.  "  The  love  of  a  good 
woman  is  ever  a  gift  for  a  man  to  crave;  but  the 
love  of " 

"  Has  Captain  Middleton  won  the  love  of 
such  a  one?"  Mistress  Antoinette  Huguenin 
asked,  and  her  tone  was  as  cold  as  had  been  the 
references  to  me  in  her  late  letters  from  France. 
"  I  wish  you  joy,  Captain,  and  I'll  warrant  that 
you  have  chosen  a  lady  with  a  most  gentle  tem 
per.  For  if  report  be  true  you  love  only  women 
who  smile  and  answer  '  yea '  to  you  always." 

There  sounded  a  cry  from  the  man  on  watch, 
and,  looking,  we  saw  a  tiny  fleck  of  canvas — 

296 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

scarce  larger  than  a  man's  thumb  nail — against 
the  blue  of  the  horizon  a  little  sou'  of  sou'east. 
We  watched  it  grow  until  the  stretch  of  sails 
and  the  shape  of  the  ship  that  bore  them  could 
plainly  be  distinguished. 

"  Touch  off  your  culverin,"  Morgan  cried  to 
the  gunner.  "  'Tis  our  consort  and  I  would 
have  her  message." 

Then  came  the  thunder  of  the  gun.  We 
waited.  Far,  far  off  like  an  echo  came  our 
answer.  One,  then  another,  and  another,  until 
there  had  sounded  five. 

"  'Tis  as  I  feared,"  Morgan  said,  and  for  a 
moment  there  was  sadness,  almost  despondency 
in  his  voice  and  manner.  "  I  am  a  fugitive, 
Captain  Middleton.  Any  man  aboard  this  ship, 
if  he  be  a  loyal  subject  of  King  James  will  see 
to  it  that  I  do  not  escape  beyond  the  reach  of 
his  heavy  hand." 

"  I  trust  there  be  none  such  on  board,  your 
Honor,"  I  answered  him.  "  Will  you  put  your 
self  into  the  hands  of  your  crew  ?  " 

"  I  will  put  myself  on  board  my  buccaneer," 
he  answered  with  a  grim  smile.  "  I  will  sail 
into  the  harbor  of  your  city,  send  you  ashore 
in  the  long  boat,  and  sail  out  again,  giving 
Governor  Moreton  scant  time  to  order  us  fired 
upon,  even  did  he  know  an  outlaw  aboard  this 
packet.  My  purpose  is  neither  to  hang  in  the 

297 


WHEN    the    LAND    'was    TOUNG 

iron  cage  of  Augustine,  nor  be  stretched  on 
the  rack  in  Spain.  I  return  to  my  brotherhood 
and  will  sail  again  under  the  black  flag  against 
the  Spaniards  of  the  New  World." 

"  I  almost  have  it  in  my  mind  to  go  with 
you,"  I  cried,  speaking  in  all  sincerity. 

He  laughed,  looked  towards  Mistress  An 
toinette  Huguenin,  then  laughed  again,  and  I 
felt  the  hot  blood  burning  in  my  face. 

"Pish!  man,"  he  cried.  "I  doubt  if  the 
fear  of  King  James'  darkest  dungeon,  the  burn 
ing  rack  of  Spain  or  death  itself  could  make 
you  forego  one  hour  of  her  company  now  that 
you  know  she  loves  you.  You  have  passed 
unpleasant  hours,  but  you  receive  a  reward  that 
the  Grand  Monarque  himself  might  envy,  even 
in  his  palmiest  days." 

We  sailed  into  the  bay,  up  the  wide  river, 
and  once  more  came  in  sight  of  the  city  for 
which  my  heart  had  so  often  longed,  and  which 
I  had  more  than  once  despaired  of  ever  seeing 
again.  Through  the  glasses,  I  spied  upon  the 
two  houses  that  I  knew  so  well,  surrounded  by 
their  palisades  and  in  the  midst  of  their  grow 
ing  fields.  I  made  out  a  company  of  slaves 
working  on  both  plantations,  and  even  fancied 
that  I  could  distinguish  Colonel  Huguenin  act 
ing  as  his  own  overseer.  I  handed  the  glasses 
to  Mistress  Antoinette. 

298 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

"  You  will  see  one  you  know,"  I  told  her. 

"  Yes,"  she  said  after  she  had  gazed  long  and 
carefully.  "  I  recognize  many  of  my  father's 
slaves  and  some  few  of  your  own;  but  my 
father  is  not  there." 

"  Not  there?  "  I  cried,  for  I  had  been  so  sure. 

"  No,  he  is  not  there,"  she  answered,  "  and 
my  heart  forbodes  evil." 

"  Then  he  is  at  Charleston,  or  he  may  be  in 
the  house,"  I  assured  her,  though  in  my  heart  I 
felt  not  the  security  that  my  words  implied. 
"  There  are  a  dozen  places  where  he  might  be. 
not  expecting  your  arrival." 

"  'Tis  not  because  I  do  not  find  him  with  the 
slaves,"  she  cried.  "  But  it  is  the  look  of  the 
fields,  the  gardens,  the  house  itself.  He  has  not 
been  there,  at  least  not  for  many  weeks.  My 
heart  misgives  me  for  his  safety." 

"  'Tis  his  uneasiness  for  you  that  makes  him 
neglectful,"  I  said,  trying  hard  to  give  her  con 
solation  even  while  my  own  heart  was  heavy 
with  dread  for  what  I  feared  awaited  her. 

"  'T would  but  make  him  work  all  the  harder. 
He  would  give  himself  no  idle  moments  to  be 
harassed  by  sad  thoughts,"  she  answered,  and 
I  knew  that  she  spoke  the  truth.  "  It  is  the 
thought  of  Augustine — that  he  has  returned 
there,  attempting  my  rescue.  If  he  should 
again  fall  into  their  hands — "  All  color  left 

299 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

her  face  and  she  seemed  as  though  about  to 
faint  from  deadly  fear. 

"  Antoinette,  Antoinette !  "  I  cried,  my  heart 
wrung  from  my  body  to  see  her  of  whose  forti 
tude  and  courage  I  had  seen  so  many  proofs, 
turn  sick  at  the  fancies  born  of  her  own  im 
aginings.  "  It  cannot  be  as  you  fear.  Gov 
ernor  Moreton  \vould  not  let  him  go  without 
sufficient  men  at  his  back." 

"  Still  the  fear  does  not  leave  me,"  she  an 
swered.  "  He  would  not  rest  in  Charleston, 
thinking  me  in  Augustine,  and  that  thou 
knowest.  They  will  be  on  their  guard,  expect 
ing  an  attack,  and  should  he  be  taken  or  by  any 
means  fall  into  D'Alva's  power — 

"  I  will  rescue  him.  That  I'll  swear,"  I  cried. 
And  so  I  purposed  even  though  it  should  cost 
me  my  life  and  the  exit  should  be  by  way  of 
the  iron  cage  of  Augustine  or  the  rack  of  Spain. 

"  An  you  do,"  she  said,  the  red  coming  back 
into  her  face,  and  her  beautiful  eyes  meeting 
mine  with  all  the  modest  sincerity  of  her  sweet 
womanliness,  "  there  is  naught  I  will  not  give 
thee." 

I  bent  my  knee  and  rested  first  my  lips,  then 
my  forehead  against  the  hand  that  she  stretched 
forth. 

'  There  is  but  one  boon  that  I  can  ask,"  I 
told  her. 

300 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

I  rose  to  my  feet  and  led  her  forward  to  meet 
the  buccaneer  Admiral  who  was  returning  from 
the  ordering  of  his  crew.  Mistress  Moreton 
and  Marcie  had  gone  below  to  make  ready  for 
leaving  the  ship. 

"  All  that  you  did,  Mistress  Huguenin,  save 
one  thing  only,  I  countenance,"  Morgan  cried, 
as  he  joined  us.  "  That  you  spent  your  own  and 
Captain  Middleton's  share  of  booty  in  freeing 
engages,  from  their  term  of  service,  I  think 
good.  But  the  gold  that  you  gave  the 
Spanish  prisoners,  whom  Bras  de  Fer  had  or 
ders  to  put  ashore  near  Havana,  I  think  ill 
spent.  It  will  not  serve  the  women,  but  instead 
will  go  to  the  sleek  priests  who,  as  you  know, 
hold  place  in  my  affections  even  higher  than 
other  Spaniards.  An  I  mistake  not  ye  love 
them  no  better  yourself,  yet  it  was  thy  humor 
to  save  their  lives,  and  let  them  go  scot  free, 
and  with  well  filled  purses  to  boot.  Women 
are  as  mysterious  as  the  sea,  Captain  Middle- 
ton,  and  the  older  men  grow  the  more  thor 
oughly  they  become  convinced  that  they  are 
past  their  understanding." 

"  And  like  the  sea  our  mystery  lies  in  our 
simplicity,"  Antoinette  told  him.  "  Men  fail  to 
understand  us  because  they  look  below  the  sur 
face  for  occurrences  that  have  their  cause  on  the 
outside.  'Twas  because  they  were  women  and 

301 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

men  of  God  that  I  so  shielded  them;  I  had  no 
deeper  reason." 

"  And  since  it  was  thy  humor,  I  let  it  pass," 
he  answered.  "  I  return  you  to  your  father 
with  but  one  regret  in  my  heart — that  I  cannot 
claim  you  as  my  own  child.  'Tis  as  my  own 
daughter  I  have  sought  to  shield  you  from  the 
gossip  of  idle  tongues,  and  for  that  I  planned 
your  unmasking  at  the  feast  in  the  great  tri 
bunal.  That  you  sailed  mate  of  a  pirate  ship 
should  cause  you  no  blushes.  By  no  other 
means  could  you  have  saved  your  honor  and 
protected  the  women  who  went  with  you." 

As  we  stood  on  deck  waiting  for  the  finishing 
of  the  last  few  preparations  for  our  landing 
Mistress  Moreton  again  urged  his  stopping  in 
Charleston,  and  assured  him  of  the  protection 
of  her  husband. 

"  I  kiss  thy  hand,  lady,"  he  cried.  "  But 
never  will  I  so  embarrass  a  man  as  honest  as 
thy  husband.  As  the  Governor  of  Carolina, 
sworn  to  enforce  the  laws  and  commands  of 
King  James,  it  would  be  his  duty  to  apprehend 
me.  As  thy  husband  I  know  that  the  dictates 
of  his  heart  would  make  him  traitor  to  his  trust. 
That  must  not  be."  Turning  to  Antoinette  he 
kissed  the  hand  she  extended  to  him.  Then, 
slipping  on  her  finger  a  ring  set  with  a  blood 
red  ruby,  he  said :  "  Should  you  be  in  trouble 

302 


WHEN    the    LAND    'was    TOUNG 

by  land  or  by  sea,  and  need  a  friend,  send  me 
this  ring,  my  child.  If  I  am  alive  and  free  from 
prison  chains  I  will  surely  come  to  thee." 

Again  he  kissed  her  hand,  and  we  took  our 
places  in  the  boat  and  left  him  standing  in  the 
deepening  dusk,  gazing  after  us. 

The  entrance  of  the  packet  into  the  harbor 
had  caused  no  great  commotion  as  the  small- 
ness  of  the  crowd  assembled  on  the  wharf  to 
watch  our  landing  proved.  When  I  clambered 
up  the  steep  stairs  leading  to  the  wooden  wharf, 
the  dusk  and  the  thin  mist  that  was  beginning 
to  rise,  made  the  faces  into  which  I  gazed  ap 
pear  as  though  covered  by  a  grey  veil.  They 
were  only  the  slaves  of  some  few  who  lived 
near  the  water's  edge  and  one  gentleman  who 
apparently  had  stopped  in  passing,  expecting 
the  landing  of  some  few  foreign  sailors  and  a 
petty  sea-officer. 

"The  Governor?"  I  questioned  of  the 
gentleman,  as  I  turned  from  helping  the  two 
ladies  and  their  serving  woman  up  the  steps 
made  slippery  by  the  wash  of  the  incoming 
tide.  "  Is  he  to  be  found  so  late  in  the  great 
house?  " 

"  Yea,  sir,"  he  answered,  motioning  the  slave 
who  followed  him  to  take  the  bundle  that  I 
carried.  "  I  will  act  as  your  guide,  if  you  have 
no  better.  Though  past  the  usual  hour  for  au- 

3°3 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

dience  with  strangers  the  Governor  will  see  you 
for  he  denies  himself  to  no  man  however  hum 
ble.  Would  you  first  go  to  the  guest  house?  " 
he  asked,  looking  at  the  two  ladies  and  their 
serving  woman. 

"  No,  friend,"  I  told  him,  still  keeping  up 
the  cheat  though  I  had  recognized  him  as  one 
Owen,  a  small  merchant  who  had  but  recently 
come  from  the  Old  World.  "  I  would  first  pay 
my  respects  to  your  Governor,  and  since  you 
describe  him  as  so  amiable,  the  ladies  will  go 
with  me." 

"  Our  Governor  has  suffered  a  great  grief," 
he  told  me  after  a  short  silence  in  which  we  had 
continued  on  our  way,  Antoinette  walking  at 
my  side  with  Mistress  Moreton,  Marcie  and 
the  slave  following  us.  "  He  has  just  lost  his 
wife,  a  most  estimable  lady  to  whom  he  was 
wed  scarce  a  year  ago." 

"She  died  in  Charleston?"  I  questioned, 
hoping  to  get  news  of  the  city. 

"  No,"  he  answered.  "  It  had  been  better 
so  a  thousand  times  for  then  at  least  he  would 
have  known  the  manner  and  cause  of  her  death. 
She  was  taken  captive  from  the  city  of  Augus 
tine  by  pirates  and  no  news  has  since  come 
from  her,  or  ever  will  to  my  thinking.  We 
all  know  the  fate  of  women  so  taken." 

3°4 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

"  Was  she  alone  ?  Had  she  no  friend  with 
her?"  I  asked. 

;<  Yea,"  he  answered,  "  and  that  is  the  sad 
dest  part  of  the  sad  story.  There  was  taken 
with  her  Mistress  Antoinette  Huguenin,  who 
had  but  recently  returned  to  this  colony.  She 
was  a  famous  beauty  of  King-  Louis'  court,  and 
her  lover,  a  rich  and  powerful  French  noble 
man,  has  but  just  arrived  here,  having  obtained 
permission  from  the  king  to  claim  her  hand  in 
marriage." 

At  the  mention  of  the  Frenchman  I  felt  the 
fingers  that  I  clasped  tighten  their  hold  and  I 
grasped  them  more  firmly. 

"  He  has  taken  no  steps  towards  her  res 
cue  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  'Tis  but  three  days  since  he  arrived,"  he 
answered.  "  Now  the  ship  in  which  he  came 
lies  in  the  harbor  being  more  heavily  armed, 
and  he  spends  hours  each  day  in  consultation 
with  the  Governor  and  his  council.  'Tis  known 
that  they  purpose  an  expedition,  though  where 
or  against  whom  has  not  yet  transpired.  The 
Due  de  Richelieu  is  a  most  noble  looking  young 
gallant,  and  'tis  said  that  he  lets  not  the  grass 
grow  under  his  feet.  Would  you  have  me  an 
nounce  you,  sir?  "  he  asked  as  he  stopped  before 
the  door  of  the  Governor's  mansion. 

3°5 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

"  No,"  I  told  him,  as  I  turned  to  mount  the 
steps.  "  I  have  been  here,  though  before  Gov 
ernor  Moreton's  time." 

I  bade  him  good-night,  thanking  him  for  his 
trouble  and  entered  the  open  door.  As  we 
passed  into  the  wide  hall  lighted  by  flaming 
lightwood  torches,  a  black  serving  man  in 
the  Governor's  livery,  came  forward  to  meet 
us. 

"  Caleb,"  I  said,  "  conduct  your  mistress  and 
Mademoiselle  Huguenin  to  some  room  where 
they  can  rest.  I  would  prepare  your  master 
for  their  coming." 

He  started  back;  stared  at  us  wildly  with 
eyes  that  seemed  starting  from  their  sockets; 
then  fell  on  his  knees  and  raising  his  clasped 
hands  appealingly,  tried  to  form  words  that  fell 
unintelligibly  from  his  shaking  lips.  I  strode 
towards  him  hoping  by  roughness  to  cure  him 
of  his  fright,  but  he  moved  back,  still  on  his 
knees,  with  his  hands  held  in  supplication,  until, 
finding  that  I  gained  on  him,  he  whirled  his 
body  over,  and  fled  from  the  hall  on  all  fours, 
with  the  agility  of  a  wild  monkey  in  the  forest. 

"  Doan'  pay  no  heed  to  dat  nigger,  Mas' 
Jack."  Marcie  cried.  It  was  the  first  time  that 
I  had  heard  the  sound  of  her  voice  since  seeing 
her  aboard  the  pirate  ship.  "  He  tinks  you  is 
de  debbil,  and  we  alls  is  ghosts.  I  jes  take  de 

306 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

ladies  in  one  of  dese  yere  rooms  and  wait  tel 
yon  fin'  de  gub'ner.  Come  wid  me,  honey," 
she  said,  putting  her  arm  around  Mistress 
Moreton,  who,  now  that  fortitude  seemed  no 
longer  necessary,  was  weeping  hysterically. 

I  saw  the  door  of  the  room  close  upon  them ; 
then  I  turned  and  went  in  search  of  the  Gov 
ernor.  I  came  upon  him  in  the  same  room  in 
which  less  than  three  months  gone  I  had  found 
Governor  Quarry  and  his  counsellors.  He  was 
alone  with  his  clerk  and  they  were  so  deep  in 
the  examination  of  some  papers  that  they  did 
not  hear  me  enter.  I  noticed  that  Moreton 
looked  pale  and  haggard,  that  his  beard  was 
longer,  and  that  he  was  much  thinner  than 
when  I  had  last  seen  him. 

I  stopped  at  his  side  and  placed  my  hand  on 
his  shoulder.  He  turned  his  head  as  though 
expecting  to  see  some  trusted  friend.  When  his 
gaze  rested  on  me  his  face  went  deathly  white, 
the  smile  froze  on  his  lips  and  turned  to  a 
ghastly  grin,  his  eyes  became  glazed  and 
staring  as  the  dead. 

"  Governor  Moreton,"  I  cried,  strengthen 
ing  my  grasp  on  his  shoulder.  "  I  beg  that  you 
control  yourself.  You  are  a  strong  man  and  a 
brave  gentleman." 

"  Yea,"  he  answered  through  ashen  lips.  "  I 
was,  Captain  Middleton,  I  was.  But  now — 

3°7 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

since  my  trouble — and  we  thought  you  dead. 
You  are  not  dead — man?  " 

"  No,"  I  answered,  holding  his  eyes  with 
mine.  "  I  am  alive,  and  you  are  awake  and  in 
your  right  mind.  You  see  that  I  am  no  dead 
man.  I  bring  you  tidings.  Do  you  hear  ?  Can 
you  understand?  " 

"  Yes,"  he  answered.  "  I  understand.  And 
your  tidings  ?  " 

"  My  tidings  are  good,  only  good.  Your 
wife  is  alive." 

"  Alive,"  he  repeated. 

"  Alive  and  well.  Canst  hear  what  I  say, 
man?"  I  cried.  "As  well  as  when  she  was 
taken  from  you.  Dost  hear?  " 

He  removed  his  hand  from  his  head  and 
gazed  into  my  eyes  to  judge  of  the  truth  of 
that  which  I  told  him. 

"  She  is  well,"  I  repeated.  "  And  here  in 
this  house." 

"Here!"  he  cried,  the  color  coming  back 
into  his  face  and  the  lustre  into  his  eyes. 
"  You  said  that  she  was  well  and  in  this 
house?  " 

"  Yes,"  I  told  him,  loosening  my  hold  on  his 
shoulders.  "  She  is  well  and  is  coming  to  you." 

I  gave  the  signal  agreed  upon  and  Marcie  led 
her  in.  Then  we  turned  and  going  out  closed 
the  door  behind  us  leaving  them  together. 

308 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

I  followed  the  black  woman  into  the  room 
where  sat  Mistress  Antoinette  Huguenin,  leav 
ing  the  clerk  in  the  hall  within  reach  of  the 
Governor's  voice.  I  went  over  to  her  whom  I 
loved  above  all  the  world  and  taking  her  hand 
as  it  rested  upon  the  arm  of  her  chair,  pressed 
the  slender  fingers  to  my  lips. 

"  My  father,  Jack!  What  of  my  father?" 
she  asked,  turning  upon  me  eyes  in  which  only 
the  deepest  dread  was  written. 

I  told  her  of  all  that  had  passed  between  me 
and  the  Governor,  and  tried  to  console  her  by 
reasoning  away  her  fears  as  founded  only  on 
her  fancies. 

"  I  have  not  a  man's  power  to  reason,"  she 
said,  "  but  I  have  a  boding  heart,  and  since  I 
know  thee  safe,  Jack,  it  must  be  my  father.  I 
have  none  else,  Jack,  thee  and  my  father." 

I  took  her  hands  and  kissed  them,  and  bowed 
my  head  upon  them.  "  I  love  thee,"  I  told  her, 
"  and  would  shield  thee  even  from  unhappy 
thoughts." 

"  I  know  that  thou  dost  love  me,"  she  an 
swered.  "  I  learned  it  in  Augustine,  on  board 
the  pirate,  in  the  buccaneer  city,  and  the  knowl 
edge  made  the  part  I  played  less  galling  to  my 
womanhood."  I  felt  her  frame  tremble  and 
her  voice  was  almost  a  sob.  "  But  I  am  also 
beloved  by  my  father,  thou  knowest  how  dearly, 

3°9 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

Jack.  I  am  ajl  that  he  has  and  he  is  no  longer 
young.  I  must  not  fail  him." 

Then  I  heard  the  clerk's  voice  summoning 
us  to  the  Governor,  and  kissing  her  hands 
again,  I  led  her  into  the  great  room,  where  sat 
the  Governor  and  his  lady. 

"  I  owe  you  a  heavy  debt,  Mademoiselle,"  he 
said  bending  his  knee  as  he  kissed  her  hand, 
and  I  saw  that  tears  stood  in  both  his  own  and 
his  wife's  eyes,  "  more  than  I  can  ever  hope 
to  pay." 

She  received  his  thanks  graciously,  answered 
all  his  questions  and  smiled  at  his  praise  of  her 
wit  and  courage,  though  I  saw  there  was  but 
one  thought  in  her  mind,  but  one  question 
trembling  on  her  lips,  and  for  fear  of  the  reply 
she  \vould  receive  I  dreaded  to  have  her  speak. 

"  You  come  at  a  fortunate  time,  lady,"  he 
said  at  length.  "  For  there  is  one  in  Charles 
ton  to  whom  your  safety  will  mean  more  than 
to  others,  even  your  best  friends.  The  Due  de 
Richelieu  arrived  in  this  city  three  days  gone 
and  bears  a  message  to  you  from  the  King  of 
France." 

"  King  Louis  has  ever  proved  my  kind 
master,  but  I  like  not  his  messenger,  Governor 
Moreton,"  she  told  him,  and  I  saw  the  same  ex 
pression  creep  into  her  eyes  as  had  shone  there 
when,  as  a  haughty,  dare-devil  court  gallant 

310 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

she  had  defied  the  pirate  on  board  the  captured 
galleon.  Then  the  haughtiness  faded,  and  she 
asked  in  a  voice  trembling  with  emotion,  "  I 
crave  news  of  my  father.  Is  he  safe  and  well, 
sir?" 

The  Governor's  eyes  shifted  and  he  looked  at 
his  wife  as  one  seeking  an  ally.  "  He  is  not 
here,  lady,"  he  answered.  "  But  I  have  every 
reason  to  believe  that  he  is  safe  and  well." 

"  Not  here!  "  she  cried. 

"  No,"  he  said.  "  After  his  return,  a  few 
days  before  we  had  news  of  your  falling  into 
the  hands  of  the  pirates,  a  warrant  came  from 
the  proprietors,  signed  by  King  James  himself, 
ordering  me  to  furnish  the  Spaniards  at  Augus 
tine  a  guide  into  the  Choctaw  country  and  to 
their  great  village 

"  You  did  it?  "  I  cried,  and  reading  the  an 
swer  in  his  face,  exclaimed,  "  Great  God !  " 

"  And  to  deliver  your  father  to  the  Governor 
of  Augustine  to  answer  for  the  killing  of  the 
elder  D'Alva,"  he  continued. 

"And  you  let  them  take  him?"  she  ques 
tioned. 

"  I  was  forced  to  it  by  my  Governor's  oath." 

"  Yet  I  served  not  your  wife  so,"  she  cried, 
and  there  was  the  ring  of  passionate  indigna 
tion  in  her  voice.  "  I  left  her  not  in  the  hands 
of  her  enemies." 

311 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

The  Governor's  eyes  dropped  before  her  gaze 
and  a  purple  red,  the  shadow  of  deepest  shame, 
crept  up  to  cheeks  and  brow.  He  moistened  his 
dry  lips  as  though  about  to  speak,  when  she  in 
terrupted  him. 

"  I  beg  you  forgive  me,  Governor  Moreton," 
she  said,  her  voice  expressing  the  deepest  con 
trition.  "  It  was  but  my  hasty  tongue,  speak 
ing  that  which  my  heart  does  not  second. 
There  are  some  wounds  whose  sting  goes  deep, 
and  I  love  my  father  dearly.  For  the  sake  of 
that  love  I  pray  you  forgive  my  woman's 
tongue.  I  know  it  was  but  the  sternest  duty 
that  made  you  deliver  my  father  into  the  hands 
of  his  enemies,  as  it  was  as  plainly  my  own  to 
lead  your  wife  out." 

Then  she  turned  to  me,  extending  a  hand 
that  did  not  shake,  and  her  voice  had  lost  the 
unevenness  of  emotion.  "  Captain  Middleton," 
she  said,  "  the  promise  you  gave  me  aboard 
King  James'  packet !  I  claim  its  fulfillment." 


312 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 


OVERNOR  MORETON  tells  me 
that  your  Grace  comes  a  messen 
ger  from  King  Louis  to  both  my 
father  and  myself." 

She  stood  before  a  window  in  the  great  coun 
cil  room  of  the  Governor's  house,  and  the  rays 
of  the  early  morning  sun  that  penetrated  the 
vine-covered  trellis  outside  fell  in  bright 
splashes  on  the  flowing  draperies  of  her  white 
muslin  gown.  Her  cheeks  were  colorless  and 
the  heavy  dark  circles  under  her  eyes  made 
them  appear  even  larger  and  brighter  than  was 
their  wont.  The  Governor  and  his  lady  sat 
together  at  one  side  of  the  council  table;  I 
leaned  against  the  mantel;  the  secretary  stood 
near  me;  while  his  Grace  the  Due  de  Richelieu 
was  facing  her,  but  across  the  table. 

"  An  it  please  your  Grace  I  would  hear  the 
king's  message,"  she  said. 

"  His  Majesty  did  but  grant  my  earnest 
prayer,  Mademoiselle,"  his  Grace  answered, 
and  bowing  low  he  approached  her  with  the 

3*3 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

mincing  gait  peculiar  to  King  Louis  and  his 
courtiers.  He  extended  a  packet,  tied  \vith  silk 
and  bearing  the  royal  seal  of  France.  "  He 
graciously  writ  yourself  and  your  father  ex 
pressing  approbation  of  my  suit." 

She  curtesied  low,  and  receiving  the  packet 
from  his  hand,  broke  the  seal,  opened  it  and 
read.  The  color  crept  up  into  her  face,  dyeing 
her  cheeks  and  brow  blood-red.  The  curve  of 
her  lips  straightened,  and  when  she  raised  her 
eyes  from  the  written  sheet  they  were  very 
bright. 

"  Your  Grace  made  the  king  believe  that  I 
loved  you  ?  " 

There  was  naught  of  maiden  shamefacedness 
in  her  expression  or  manner.  The  very  fact 
she  could  so  publicly  discuss  her  love  proved 
that  such  a  passion  did  not  exist,  and  even  a 
blind  man  would  have  read  it  from  the  tone  of 
her  voice.  The  Duke  of  Richelieu's  face  went 
crimson  and  then  paled. 

"  Mademoiselle !  "  he  cried,  and  his  voice  was 
sharp  with  pain  as  that  of  a  man  brought  to  a 
sudden  halt  by  some  great  shock,  "  'twas  my 
self  I  cheated  as  well  as  the  king,  if  you  love  me 
not.  For  on  my  honor  I  swear,  in  my  heart,  I 
did  believe  that  you  were  not  indifferent  to  me. 
You  were  the  one  woman  in  the  whole  world 
that  I  rated  above  coquetry." 

3H 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

His  voice  and  manner  lacked  not  dignity  and 
his  earnestness  made  him  forget  the  manner 
isms  common  in  his  class.  He  appeared  every 
inch  a  man  and  a  nobleman.  In  my  heart  I 
pitied  him,  for  I  saw  that  his  was  no  idle  fancy 
but  the  passion  of  a  sincere  man.  He  had 
pinned  his  faith  to  a  woman's  constancy  and 
with  what  results  his  words  declared.  Though 
she  whom  he  reproached  was  the  woman  I  loved 
above  all  the  world,  there  arose  in  my  breast  a 
mighty  bitterness  against  her,  that  she  should 
have  so  deceived  any  man  as  to  make  him 
follow  her  around  the  world  to  find  out  that  she 
had  but  used  him  to  while  away  an  idle  hour  or 
to  gratify  her  childish  vanity.  A  doubt  even 
of  the  sincerity  of  the  love  she  had  acknowl 
edged  for  me  arose  in  my  mind,  mocking,  and 
jeering  at  me.  I  turned  my  eyes  from  his  face 
to  hers  and  found  it  as  pale  as  when  she  had 
first  entered  the  room.  Her  eyes  met  mine  and 
I  think  she  read  in  them  my  distrust. 

"  I  am  no  coquette,"  she  answered  him  hotly. 
"  Nor  have  I  ever  done  aught  that  could  Avar- 
rant  any  one,  man  or  woman,  accuse  me  as 
such.  On  what  did  your  Grace  found  the  as 
sumption  that  I  loved  you?  I  never  told  you 
so." 

"  No,"  he  replied.  "  You  never  told  me  so, 
but  there  are  other  signs  more  potent  than 

3*5 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

words,  Mademoiselle,  by  which  men  are  wont 
to  judge  of  a  woman's  feelings  and  which  it 
now  appears  held  as  little  meaning  to  you  as  to 
the  most  experienced  coquette  of  King  Louis' 
court.  You  were  but  a  child  when  I  first  saw 
and  loved  you,  and  you  fluttered  away  from 
my  approaches  as  some  timid  bird  from  a  snare. 
I  saw  the  beautiful  girl  blossom  into  exquisite 
womanhood,  and  was  jealous  because  I  knew 
that  there  were  others  who  watched ;  other 
hands  stretching  out  to  pluck  the  flower  I 
longed  to  claim  as  my  own.  I  wooed  you  as 
ardently  as  I  dared ;  for  I  saw  what  others  did 
not,  that  the  impassioned  words  and  expres 
sions  that  won  the  meaner  beauties  at  court  re 
pulsed  your  innocence.  That  I  grew  to  think 
you  loved  me  was  no  foolish  fancy  of  a  lovesick 
brain,  for  others  saw  and  envied  me  what  they, 
I  with  them,  named  my  luck.  When,  sure  of 
your  interest  I  would  have  spoken  to  your 
grandaunt,  but  I  was  called  to  the  country  by 
the  illness  of  my  father,  as  you  know,  Mademoi 
selle,  and  returned  to  find  you  come  to  America. 
I  thought  you  but  did  it  to  try  the  quality 
of  my  love,  and  followed  you  in  the  next  ship 
leaving  France.  If  in  truth  you  love  me  not, 
Mademoiselle,  I  beg  that  you  doubt  not  the 
honor  of  the  love  that  I  gave  you.  You  granted 
me  more  favors  than  other  men  at  court,  and 

316 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

believing  you  sincere  I  assured  King  Louis  that 
you  loved  me." 

"  You  say  that  I  granted  your  Grace  more 
favors  than  other  men  at  court,"  she  cried,  her 
face  flushing  crimson  though  there  was  no 
shame  in  her  eyes.  "  I  deny  it  not,  for  I  thought 
you  loved  me  and  I  rated  you  a  gentleman  and 
true.  But  when  I  found  that  you  had  made  an 
other  to  love  you — a  woman  as  good  and  pure 
as  myself,  my  lord  of  Richelieu — I  turned  from 
you,  thanking  God  that  the  love  which  you  had 
won  from  me  was  but  the  dawn  of  a  great  pas 
sion.  I  love  you  not,  your  Grace,  nor  ever  can. 
Go  you  back  to  France  and  wed  the  girl  whose 
heart  you  won.  Though  I  loved  you  an  hun 
dred  times  more  than  the  gentleman  to  whom  I 
have  given  my  heart,  I  would  not  claim  you  for 
I  could  not  so  dishonor  a  sister  woman." 

"  'Twas  pain  that  caused  me  first  to  turn  to 
her.  'Twas  when  I  first  told  you  of  my  love 
and  you  laughed  me  to  scorn,"  he  said,  ex 
tending  his  hands  towards  her  in  passionate 
appeal.  For  the  moment  at  least  I  knew  he  for 
got  that  he  had  other  listeners  besides  the 
woman  whose  heart  he  now  realized  he  had 
so  nearly  won.  "  Then,  later,  when  you  began 
to  show  me  favor,  yet  still  were  cold.  I  thought 
by  jealousy  to  arouse  in  you  some  passion  an 
swering  to  that  which  was  consuming  me." 

3J7 


WHEN    the     LAND    -was    YOUNG 

''  Your  Grace  misjudged  me,"  she  told  him, 
and  I  thought  the  note  of  self-vindication  that 
had  sounded  in  her  voice  was  turned  to  scorn. 
"  'Twas  a  man  in  whose  nobleness  I  had  un 
bounded  faith,  whom  I  believed  above  deceit, 
that  I  loved.  But  when  I  found  that  your  Grace 

was  not  such  a  man "  she  put  out  her 

hands  as  though  parting  some  heavy  drapery 
that  had  hung  about  her,  and  her  voice  was 
tremulous  with  emotion — "  I  was  young —  " 
and  though  she  turned  towards  the  Governor 
and  his  lady,  I  knew  that  she  was  addressing 
me — "  with  all  of  a  lonely  girl's  craving  for 
something  on  which  to  bestow  her  love.  I  do 
not  say  the  wound  was  painless,  for,  beside  the 
shattering  of  the  idol  that  had  existed  only  in 
my  own  girlish  fancy,  there  was  somewhat  of 
wounded  vanity. 

"  But  that  idol  shattered,  that  wound  healed," 
she  continued,  turning  back  towards  the  Duke, 
"  there  still  remains  enough  of  tenderness  for 
that  which  is  past  to  make  me  beg  that  you  do 
not  destroy  the  faith  which  I  still  would  hold  in 
your  honor  to  women.  The  girl  whom  you 
wooed  secretly  loves  your  Grace  truly.  She 
is  your  own  kinswoman  and  in  every  way 
worthy  of  your  rank  and  great  name.  Make 
her  your  wife  and  give  her  the  love  which  you 
have  taught  her  to  believe  in.  Then  will  I  find 

318 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

it  in  my  heart  to  believe  that  you  purposed 
neither  of  us  wrong.  That  'twas  but  your 
man's  vanity  that  did  for  the  time  overshadow 
the  true  nobleness  of  your  nature." 

"  "Pis  no  easy  task  you  set  me,  Mademoi 
selle,"  he  answered,  after  a  time,  his  face  work 
ing  with  an  emotion  that  he  sought  in  vain  to 
conceal.  "  Yet  mayhap  some  day  I  may  do  as 
you  wish ;  for,  so  great  is  my  love  for  you.  that 
I  would  at  least  prove  myself  worthy  of  your 
good  thoughts." 

"  Then  will  your  Grace  return  at  once  to 
France,"  she  told  him. 

"To  France?"  he  cried.  "You  are  in 
trouble,  Mademoiselle,  and  I  beg  that  you  deny 
me  not  the  honor  of  lending  you  what  small 
aid  lies  in  my  power.  Your  father  is  in  the 
hands  of  the  Spaniards  and  though  you  love 
me  not,  lady,  I  would  know  you  happy." 

"  Then  indeed  your  Grace  has  a  noble  heart, 
and  I  have  not  words  with  which  to  express  my 
gratitude,"  she  answered,  her  voice  a  tremble 
and  her  lashes  heavy  with  tear  drops.  "  Still  it 
is  to  France  that  I  would  have  you  go.  King 
James  is  a  sworn  friend  and  ally  to  the  King 
of  Spain,  and  an  enemy  to  all  Protestants. 
Governor  Moreton  rests  under  orders  from 
the  proprietors  and  cannot  raise  hand  or 
foot  in  behalf  of  my  father,  so  there  is 

3*9 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

none  else  to  whom  I  can  turn,  save  King 
Louis." 

His  Grace  looked  at  Moreton. 

"  'Tis  as  Mistress  Antoinette  has  said,  your 
Grace,"  the  Governor  assured  him.  "  Every 
man  leaving  the  colony  to  undertake  the  rescue 
of  Colonel  Huguenin  will  be  guilty  of  treason 
against  the  king  and  as  such  it  is  my  duty  to 
arrest  and  punish  him,  and,  besides,  do  all  that 
lies  in  my  power  to  thwart  his  purpose." 

"  Then  will  you  not  return  with  me  to 
France,  Mademoiselle?"  he  asked,  turning 
again  towards  her.  "  Your  lightest  word  will 
have  more  weight  with  our  Grand  Monarque 
than " 

"  That  were  impossible,  your  Grace,"  the 
Governor  interrupted.  "  The  last  packet  from 
England  brought  positive  commands  to  me,  as 
Governor  of  Carolina,  that  should  Mistress  An 
toinette  Huguenin  come  again  into  the  province 
she  was  to  be  held — treated  with  all  honor — 
until  King  James  could  be  notified  and  express 
his  pleasure  as  to  her  disposal  through  the  pro 
prietors." 

"  Even  before  your  Grace  has  reached 
France,"  Antoinette  said  turning  towards 
Richelieu,  "  I,  as  well  as  my  father,  may  be 
in  the  hands  of  the  Spaniard  at  Augustine,  to 
answer  for  the  death  of  D'Alva." 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

"No!  no!  not  that,  Antoinette!"  Mistress 
Moreton  cried.  She  left  her  chair  at  the  Gov 
ernor's  side  and.  crossing  over,  threw  her  arms 
around  the  girl.  "  They  shall  not  send  thee 
back  to  Augustine.  Thou  wouldst  not  permit 
that,  Joseph?  "  and  she  turned  to  her  husband 
for  reassurance. 

"  My  love,"  he  answered,  moved  out  of  his 
wonted  composure  by  her  distress.  "  Thou 
wouldst  have  me — " 

"  I  would  have  thee  give  up  thy  Governor's 
warrant,  defy  the  lord  proprietors  and  their 
wicked  king  if  needs  be,  but  not  to  stain  thy 
soul  with  the  blood  of  an  innocent  girl,"  she 
cried.  Her  blue  eyes  were  bright,  crimson  spots 
burned  on  either  cheek  and  her  mild  and  gentle 
voice  trembled  with  passion.  "  An  thou  couldst 
be  forced  to  give  her  into  the  hands  of  the 
Spaniards,  knowing  the  fate  they  purpose  for 
her,  Joseph,  and  her  faithfulness  to  me,  then 
could  I  not  live  another  day  as  thy — " 

"  Then  would  I,  indeed,  be  most  miserable," 
Antoinette  broke  in,  interrupting  Mistress 
Moreton.  "  If  thou  lovest  me  and  valuest  what 
small  service  it  has  been  in  my  power  to  render 
thee,  I  beg  that  thy  effort  be  combined  with 
mine  to  make  more  easy  thy  husband's  task 
should  it  become  his  duty  as  Governor  of  Caro 
lina  to  do  that  which  I  know  the  dictates  of  his 

32I 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

heart  would  have  him  refuse.  But  before  that 
time  comes  it  is  my  hope  that  the  influence  of 
my  friends  in  France  will  have  been  felt  at  the 
English  court." 

"  If  it  has  not,  there  remain  always  your 
friends  in  Hispaniola,"  I  told  her,  passing  to 
her  side  and  taking  her  hand  between  both  my 
own.  "  Your  father  and  mother  set  us  the 
example,  Antoinette." 

She  looked  in  my  eyes  and  reading  my  mean 
ing  the  blood  swept  a  rich  crimson  to  her  cheeks 
and  brow.  Her  lids  drooped  and  her  eyes 
shifted  towards  the  open  window  near  which 
the  Governor  still  sat.  Suddenly  she  started 
and  her  fingers  closed  convulsively  over  mine. 

"  'Twas  Cayman !  "  she  said,  in  a  startled 
whisper,  clinging  all  the  closer  to  my  hand. 
"  He  stood  against  the  window  looking  in." 

"  Your  eyes  deceived  you,"  Mistress  More- 
ton  told  her,  after  we  had  looked  from  every 
window  and  the  clerk  had  returned  from  his 
search  of  the  yards,  reporting  that  no  one  had 
been  seen  by  the  servants.  "  Your  thoughts 
were  on  Hispaniola  and  the  Spaniards  and  you 
caught  a  fancied  likeness  in  the  face  of  some 
man  passing  on  the  streets  who  chanced  to 
look  in." 

"  He  was  not  in  the  street,  but  against  the 
window  and  for  a  moment  I  looked  into  his 

322 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

eyes,"  Antoinette  insisted.  Then  her  tone 
changed  and  she  said,  "  Mayhap  I  was  mis 
taken.  My  eyes  often  play  me  strange  tricks. 
It  must  have  been  as  you  say,  only  a  fancied 
resemblance  of  some  one  passing  in  the  streets." 

"  No,  Mademoiselle,"  his  Grace  of  Richelieu 
exclaimed.  '  There  was  a  man  at  the  window, 
that  I'll  swear,  for  I  saw  his  face  so  distinctly 
that  I  noted  a  deep  scar  over  his  left  brow. 
Had  your  Cayman  such  a  scar?  " 

My  eyes  met  those  of  Mistress  Moreton.  We 
both  knew  that  scar.  Antoinette  had  turned  to 
the  window  and  to  all  appearances  did  not  hear 
Richelieu's  question.  Again  my  eyes  met  those 
of  Mistress  Moreton,  and  reading  a  startled 
question  in  their  depths  I  left  the  room  saying 
that  I  would  go  and  question  the  servants.  I 
went  to  the  strip  of  sward  under  the  window 
and  found  what  I  expected,  the  print  of  a 
man's  great  boot  on  the  parched  grass.  I  called 
to  the  clerk,  and,  together,  we  followed  the  track 
to  the  side  of  the  house  wherein  were  the  sleep 
ing  rooms  of  the  family.  Then  it  led  into  the 
street,  and  was  lost. 

Returning  to  the  great  room  I  found  the 
ladies  gone.  Mistress  Antoinette  had  retired 
to  her  room  with  a  headache;  the  Governor 
was  deep  in  consultation  with  his  wife's  father 
and  two  of  his  council  who  had  arrived  during 

323 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

my  absence,  while  his  Grace  of  Richelieu  stood 
at  a  window  looking  out  toward  the  sea,  his 
forehead  knotted  into  a  heavy  frown  and  God 
knows  with  what  bitterness  in  his  heart. 

Cautioning  the  servants  to  watch  against  the 
coming  of  a  strange  man,  I  left  the  house  and 
went  into  the  city  upon  other  affairs.  I  rode 
down  the  river  to  my  own  and  Huguenin's 
estate,  then  returned  to  town  and  to  a  meeting 
with  friends  at  the  tavern.  It  was  good  dusk 
when,  leaving  the  public  house  in  company  with 
Master  John  Hughes,  on  the  way  to  the  Gov 
ernor's  house  we  met  two  strangers  hastening 
down  the  street  towards  the  town  gate.  The 
great  height  and  powerful  build  of  the  one  who 
walked  nearest  us  caused  me  to  turn  and  look 
after  them  when  they  had  passed.  It  was  too 
dark  to  distinguish  their  faces  and  they  had 
given  us  no  greeting,  yet  as  I  watched  them 
their  figures  seemed  strangely  familiar.  The 
tall  one  appeared  a  very  giant  in  size  and 
though  he  strode  down  the  street  at  a  gait  that 
soon  took  him  beyond  our  gaze,  the  youth  who 
walked  with  him  appeared  the  leader,  so  well 
did  he  hold  hiS^one  pace  in  advance. 

"  They  hasten  to  pass  the  gate  before  the 
night  guard  comes  on  and  it  closes  for  the 
night,"  Master  Hughes  said,  as  we  watched  the 
two  men  until  their  figures  were  swallowed  up 

324 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

by  the  gloom  under  the  trees.  We  turned  and 
went  on  our  way.  "  They  were  strangers  from 
the  Dutch  settlement  up  the  river,  doubtless," 
he  ventured. 

'  Then  they  would  have  returned  by  way  of 
the  river/'  I  told  him. 

"  So  they  would,  so  they  would,"  he  replied, 
rubbing  the  stubble  beard  on  his  chin. 
"  Though  if  they  come  not  from  there  I  would 
know  them,  and  I  tell  you,  Captain,  that  there 
is  not  a  man  in  the  settlements  down  the  river 
nor  inland  that  could  touch  the  ears  of  that 
giant." 

"  We  are  no  longer  a  small  settlement, 
Hughes,"  I  said,  "  and  strangers  coming  back 
and  forth  among  us  makes  it  well  nigh  impossi 
ble  to  remember  faces." 

We  returned  to  our  former  conversation,  dis 
cussing  the  treachery  of  Master  Bernard 
Schinking  who,  I  had  learned,  had  offered  him 
self  as  guide  for  the  Spaniards  into  the  country 
of  the  Choctaws. 

"  Had  the  Governor  ordered  his  services," 
Hughes  exclaimed,  "  then  could  I  have  excused 
his  lack  of  faith  to  the  people,  savages  though 
they  are,  who  have  ever  treated  him  as  friend. 
But  when  the  Governor  calling  on  meaner  men 
finally  found  one  to  consent  to  do  the  king's 
bidding,  then  Schinking  stepped  forth  and  of- 

325 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

fered  himself,  as  well  acquainted  with  both  the 
country  and  the  village." 

"  His  service  ended,  did  he  purpose  return 
ing  to  Carolina  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  That  I  cannot  tell  you,"  he  answered.  "  But 
I  know  that  he  has  always  traded  between  the 
Indians  and  the  buccaneers  as  is  now  well 
proved,  and  should  he  return  I  question  not  that 
'twould  be  to  meet  a  warrant.  Moreton  is  no 
lover  of  such  unlawful  traffic,  as  is  well  known, 
and  all  that  has  been  made  by  it  since  he  came 
into  office  is  not  worth  a  devil's  fetching." 

"  If  Schinking  returns,"  I  told  him  as  we 
separated,  "  I  would  see  the  man,  for  I  have 
a  long  standing  score  to  settle;  "  I  remembered 
that  it  was  to  me  that  he  owed  the  knowledge 
of  which  he  was  now  making  such  base  use. 

Mounting  the  steps  to  the  Governor's  house, 
I  pushed  open  the  heavy  door  and  entering  the 
hall  came  face  to  face  with  Mistress  Moreton 
and  Marcie.  The  lady  was  white  and  trem 
bling;  the  black  woman  was  an  ashy  grey,  with 
eyes  stretched  as  big  as  saucers.  They  stared 
at  me  as  at  a  ghost  and  I  at  them  dumbfounded. 

"  Mistress -vMpreton,"  I  exclaimed,  at  last 
gaining  control  of  my  tongue,  "  what  is  it  ? 
What  has  so  startled  you  ?  " 

She  pointed  up  the  stairs  and  whispered 
hoarsely,  "  She  is  not  there." 

326 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

"Not  there?"  I  repeated,  failing  to  catch 
her  meaning.  "Who  is  not  there?"  But  as 
the  words  passed  my  lips,  rny  heart  answered. 
"  Antoinette !  "  I  called,  striding  towards  the 
steps. 

"  She  is  not  there,  Mass  Jack,"  Marcie  said, 
laying  hold  of  my  sleeve.  "  I  saw  her  climb 
from  de  winder.  She  wore  her  men's  clothes, 
and  there  was  a  man  who  received  her  in  de 
yard." 

"A  man  ?  "  I  questioned,  too  dazed  to  think. 
Then  a  thought  entered  my  dulled  brain. 
"  Richelieu,"  I  cried. 

She  shook  her  head.  "  'Twas  the  pirate,  de 
young  giant  who  knew  her  to  be  a  'oman," 
Marcie  replied. 


327 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 


WITHOUT  a  word  I  strode  out  of  the 
house  and  going  to  the  Governor's 
stable  ordered  the  negro  groom  to 
let  me  in.  There  was  a  sorrel  stallion  in  the 
last  stall.  It  had  been  brought  over  from 
Flanders  the  year  before  when  scarce  more  than 
a  colt,  by  Moreton,  and  was  known  to  be  the 
swiftest  and  best  winded  beast  in  the  colony.  I 
led  him  out.  The  negro  threw  the  saddle  on 
his  back,  I  sprang  into  it  and  turned  his  head 
towards  the  town  gate. 

I  was  none  too  soon  for  the  watch  was  chang 
ing.  The  man  who  had  held  guard  since  noon 
was  in  the  act  of  leaving  as  I  galloped  up.  He 
who  had  just  come  on  surlily  ordered  my  halt, 
until  flashing  his  light  into  my  face  he  saluted 
and  began  to  mumble  apologies. 

"  'Tis  nigh,  time  to  close,  Captain  Middle- 
ton,"  he  exclaimed,  as  he  withdrew  the  bolts 
and  pushed  open  the  heavy  door  for  my  passage. 
"  Blessing  would—" 

"  The  two  strangers  who  passed  out,"   I  in- 

328 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

terrupted,  calling  to  his  fellow  Blessing  Mitch 
ell,  who  had  but  just  turned  away,  "  did  they  go 
up  or  down  river,  or  walk  across  country?  " 

Both  men  stared  at  me  until  I  well-nigh  lost 
patience,  then  they  exchanged  glances  and 
Blessing  cried  out :  "  'Cross  country,  Captain. 
Straight  out  over  the  road  to  New  Jamestown, 
but  they  did  not  walk." 

"Not  walk!"  I  cried,  checking  my  horse, 
who  had  begun  to  move. 

"  No,  sir,  and  we  were  just  talking  about 
them  when  you  galloped  up.  They  strode 
through  the  gate  hardly  giving  a  man  time  to 
tell  the  color  of  their  skins.  The  little  one  in 
the  lead  and  doing  the  talking.  '  Good  evening, 
friends,'  he  gave  us,  as  they  walked  up — but 
without  once  slackening  pace — '  we  are  but  just 
in  time  to  save  you  the  trouble  of  drawing  bolts, 
and  the  Governor  signing  a  warrant.  Step 
lively,  Goliath.  Put  springs  into  thy  great  feet, 
else  they  will  shut  the  gate  on  thy  very  nose, 
and  give  the  town  folks  the  rare  sport  of  seeing 
thee  draw  thy  great  body  over  the  palisades.' 
And  they  were  out  and  striding  across  the  com 
mons,  mounting  their  horses  before  we  scarce 
had  time  to  draw  breath." 

"Mounting  their  horses?"  I  questioned, 
amazed,  for  this  was  something  of  which  I  had 
not  thought. 

329 


WHEN    the    LAND    -was    TOUNG 

"  Yea,  sir,"  Blessing  answered.  "  When 
they  passed  out,  as  I  was  telling  you,  I  looked 
after  them  and  saw  two  horses  led  to  meet  them 
from  the  forest  to  the  left,  by  another  man 
almost  as  tall  as  Goliath.  The  two  who  had 
passed  through  the  gate  mounted  and  rode  over 
the  old  road  toward  New  Jamestown,  and  the 
other  fellow  struck  down  the  path  across  the 
meshes.  I  bethought  that  they  were  not — " 

I  did  not  wait  for  further  parley  but  giving 
rein  to  the  stallion,  dug  my  heels  into  his  flanks, 
and  he  sprang  snorting  through  the  gate  and 
swept  down  the  shell  covered  road  across  the 
commons. 

The  moon  had  not  yet  risen,  and  the  thick 
branches  overhead  shut  out  the  dim  light  of 
the  stars  as  I  galloped  along  the  road  leading 
through  the  forest.  The  fireflies  shone  around 
me  as  brilliant  as  stars  in  the  blackness.  I 
heard  the  call  of  a  whippoorwill,  and  the  half 
uttered  answer  of  his  mate  hushed  into  silence 
by  the  sound  of  my  horse's  feet.  Some  wild 
creature,  a  fox  or,  perhaps,  a  panther,  rushed 
acros>-my  path,  and  halting  among  the  trees 
glared  back  with  eyes  like  living  coals.  I  felt  the 
fan  of  its  wings  as  a  great  night  hawk  flew 
over  my  head,  heard  the  unearthly  call  of  a 
hoot  owl  and  the  demoniacal  laugh  with  which 
it  was  answered  by  its  less  distant  mate,  smelt 

33° 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

the  aroma  of  wild  thyme  crushed  beneath  my 
horse's  feet,  and  the  sickly  perfume  of  a  night- 
blooming  jasmine.  Patches  of  light  appeared 
on  the  white  sand  of  the  road,  and  I  knew  that 
the  moon  had  at  last  climbed  above  the  hori 
zon.  I  could  distinguish  the  trees  under  which 
I  passed,  the  outlines  of  my  horse's  head  and 
his  foam-covered  shoulders.  His  eyes  rolled 
white  and  staring  as  he  strained  through  the 
deep  powder-like  sand. 

All  this  I  noted,  but  the  thoughts  that  crowded 
on  my  brain  and  wrung  my  heart  were  past  the 
telling.  The  scene  in  the  Governor's  council 
room  was  still  fresh  in  my  memory.  The  words 
of  the  French  nobleman  that  proved  at  least 
Antoinette's  encouragement  of  his  suit,  her 
reason  given  for  her  change  of  heart,  that  in 
other  women  would  have  served  but  to  make 
them  more  fond.  Doubtless  she  would  not  lack 
a  reason  just  as  good  when  it  came  my  time 
to  stand  in  the  place  of  Richelieu  and  reproach 
her  for  inconstancy.  That  she  had  not  been 
forced  away  from  the  Governor's  house  I  had 
the  witness  of  my  own  eyes  to  give  credence  to 
the  words  of  the  men  at  the  gate.  'Twas  her 
own  will  and  how  did  I  know  that  it  was  not 
of  her  own  planning.  Then  a  shameless  hussy 
of  a  thought  entered  my  mind,  winking  and 
mocking  me.  Bras  de  Fer  had  known  her 

331 


WHEN    the    LAND    'was    TOUNG 

woman  and  she  had  sailed  his  mate.  I  called 
to  mind  her  unwonted  docility  at  the  hocksing 
and  his  too  evident  emotion  at  the  feast.  Would 
he  have  been  so  moved  had  she  not  given  him 
some  undoubted  sign  of  her  favor?  That  they 
had  not  met  publicly  the  day  following  the  feast 
and  had  sailed  in  different  ships,  I  very  well 
knew,  but  who  was  wise  enough  to  say  what 
had  passed  unknown  to  others?  She  was  a 
woman  of  quick  wit  and  knew  not  the  feeling 
of  fear.  She  had  come  of  a  long  line  of  valiant 
men  and  virtuous  women  but — she  had  been 
reared  in  King  Louis'  court. 

Going  in  great  bounds  like  a  rabbit  my  horse 
dashed  out  of  the  gloom  of  the  forest,  into  the 
calm  brilliancy  of  a  full  moon.  Clear  against 
the  sky  and  on  the  top  of  a  little  hillock  near 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  ahead,  rode  the  two  I  fol 
lowed — the  smaller  full  two  lengths  in  the  lead. 
I  dug  my  unspurred  heels  into  the  stallion's 
flanks  and  leaned  far  over  his  shoulders,  but 
took  not  my  gaze  for  one  instant  from  the 
slender  figure  riding  so  gallantly.  She  turned 
in  her  saddle  and  the  moonlight  fell  on  her  face 
as  she  looked  back.  I  held  my  breath  hard, 
but  it  made  no  change  in  her  riding  and  I 
remembered  with  a  gasp  of  relief  that  I  rode 
in  the  bottoms  and  below  the  natural  range  of 
her  gaze.  Her  horse  was  doing  its  best  and 

332 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

once  I  caught  the  sound  of  her  voice — whether 
in  encouragement  or  taunts  I  could  not  dis 
tinguish — urging  on  the  great  creatures,  man 
and  beast,  that  followed  her. 

They  topped  the  hill  and  were  hidden  from 
view.  Again  I  dug  my  heels  into  my  beast 
and  urged  him  on.  The  smell  and  breath  of 
the  sea  struck  my  face  as  we  toiled  to  the  top 
of  the  hill.  I  rose  in  my  stirrups  in  my  efforts 
to  see  ahead.  I  reached  the  top  and  looked 
down.  The  growing  fields  of  Master  Schink- 
ing  lay  before  me.  His  house  in  its  palisades 
to  the  left,  his  tobacco  sheds  and  storehouses 
on  the  right  and  nearer  to  where  stretched  the 
sea,  its  water  gleaming  like  molten  silver  in  the 
moonlight.  Through  the  tobacco  fields,  half 
hidden  by  the  growing  plants,  moved  the  two 
I  sought. 

They  reached  the  shed  and  disappeared  from 
view.  I  pushed  on  urging  my  panting  beast 
to  do  his  utmost.  Once  in  the  field  I  drew  rein, 
proceeding  more  cautiously  towards  I  knew  not 
what.  Turning  the  corner  of  the  shed  the  beach 
stretched  before  me,  and  laying  high  up  above 
the  wash  of  the  waves  was  a  long  boat,  and,  a 
few  paces  off,  another.  The  realization  that  there 
were  two  ships  came  to  me  suddenly  and  caused 
me  to  glance  out  towards  the  deep  bay  which 
I  knew  to  be  hidden  behind  the  narrow  neck 

333 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

of  land,  half  expecting  to  see  their  masts  rising 
above  the  dark  forest.  Though  I  did  not  find 
them  I  was  none  the  less  certain  that  they  were 
there.  The  two  horses  stood  fastened  within 
the  shed  and  I  tied  my  own  near  them.  There 
was  no  human  being  in  sight,  but  the  red  gleam 
of  torchlight  from  the  crack  in  the  storehouse 
made  me  know  where  to  look. 

The  house  was  of  rough  palmetto  logs 
chinked  with  clay  which,  owing  to  the  heat  of 
the  summer,  had  fallen  out  in  many  places 
leaving  holes  through  which  a  man  might  have 
thrust  his  arm  to  the  shoulder.  It  was  through 
one  of  these  openings  that  I  peered,  and  came 
near  crying  aloud  from  that  which  met  my 
gaze. 

Master  Bernard  Schinking  sat  on  an  up 
turned  box  drawn  toward  the  middle  of  the 
room.  At  his  elbow,  standing  one  foot  upon 
the  same  box,  was  Sir  Henry  Morgan. 

Bras  de  Fer  and  others  of  the  pirates  stood 
against  the  wall  or  sat  on  boxes  and  barrels, 
while  the  one  who  had  sailed  amongst  them 
as  Count  Uldric  Huguenin  stood  facing  the 
two  in  the  middle  of  the  room.  She  leaned 
against  a  tobacco  hogshead,  her  arms  crossed 
on  its  top,  her  figure  more  than  half  concealed 
by  it. 

334 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

"  They  did  not  torture  him  in  Augustine?  " 
was  the  first  words  that  struck  my  ears. 

"  No,  Mademoiselle,"  Bernard  Schinking 
answered.  "  That  will  come  at  Chagres,  for 
I  am  told  that  there  they  are  as  well  supplied 
with  all  instruments  of  torture  as  hell  itself 
or  the  Inquisition  in  Spain." 

"  And  the  great  war-chief  of  the  Choctaws, 
was  he  also  spared  torture?"  Antoinette  ques 
tioned,  and  her  voice  showed  as  great  concern 
as  when  she  asked  about  her  father. 

"  Nay,  they  tended  him  as  their  own 
brother,"  he  replied  with  a  chuckling  laugh  of 
bitter  derision.  "Such  is  their  Spanish  hu 
manity.  Lumulgee  was  wounded  unto  death, 
but  if  he  lives  not  through  the  voyage  to 
Chagres  'twill  not  be  for  lack  of  tender  care. 
He  will  have  naught  but  gentle  treatment 
against  the  time  when  his  wounds  heal  and  he 
can  serve  as  sport  for  them  in  their  torture 
chamber." 

"  You  saw  him  in  Augustine?  " 

"  Yes,  Mademoiselle,  but  only  when  he  was 
put  aboard  the  ship  with  your  father.  Had  I 
made  request  to  see  him  my  life  had  been  in 
jeopardy,  for  then  might  they  have  suspected 
the  sincerity  of  my  hate  for  all  Indians,  and 
the  mystery  of  the  Choctaws  being  warned, 

335 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

and  their  own  troops  led  into  ambush  been  more 
easily  unraveled.  I  was  but  one  of  the  crowd 
that  went  to  gaze  upon  him  as  they  bore  him 
from  his  dungeon  to  the  ship  that  was  to  carry 
him  to  their  more  southern  stronghold.  He 
was  conscious  and  saw  me.  Two  days  later  I 
took  passage  in  a  merchantman  touching  at 
Jamaica,  from  which  port  I  was  brought  here 
by  the  captain  of  the  Phcenix,  with  whom  I 
had  had  some  small  acquaintance.  If  the  Ad 
miral  purposes  to  go  against  Chagres,  to  the 
rescue  of  your  father  and  the  war-chief,  I  go 
with  him." 

There  was  a  moment's  silence,  then  Morgan 
lifted  his  head. 

"  Such  is  my  determination  and  I  would  sail 
within  the  hour,"  he  said.  "  The  Spaniard  at 
Augustine  has  drawn  heavily  on  both  the  gar 
risons  of  Chagres  and  Panama,  and  I  would 
strike  before  they  have  time  to  reinforce," 

"  For  what  purpose  did  he  draw  off  the  gar 
risons  of  Chagres  and  Panama,  Sir  Henry?" 
Antoinette  asked,  and  I  strained  my  ears  for 
his  answer. 

"  To  sack  the  temple,  Mademoiselle,"  Schink- 
ing  answered,  when  Morgan  had  looked  at  him 
to  reply.  "  The  galleon  in  which  your  father 
was  taken  to  Chagres  brought  troops  from 

336 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

Havana,  and  others  were  hourly  expected  from 
the  two  southern  fortresses.  D'Alva  leads  a 
great  army  into  the  Choctaw  country,  and  as 
he  holds  their  war-chief  and  knows  that  many 
of  his  braves  are  killed,  he  has  high  hopes  of 
success.  He  will  need  no  guide  this  time  save 
only  the  bleaching  bones  of  those  who  followed 
him  in  his  first  attempt  at  robbery." 

"Is  there  no  one  to  warn  the  Choctaws?" 
Antoinette  asked,  her  voice  trembling  with  in 
dignant  emotion.  "  They  are  friendly  to  the 
English  and  it  was  for  them  that  they  went 
against  Augustine." 

"  They  have  been  warned,  Mistress  Antoi 
nette,"  Morgan  answered  her.  "  You  may  trust 
Master  Schinking  for  so  much  wit.  But  as  I 
know  the  policy  of  the  proprietors  of  Carolina 
and  your  Governor,  they  will  be  left  to  defend 
their  own  treasures  as  best  they  can  against  the 
Spaniards.  King  James  is  too  anxious  to 
pleasure  the  court  of  Spain  to  lift  his  hand  in 
defence  of  his  Indian  allies.  'Tis  for  your 
father  and  Lumulgee  that  we  go  against  the 
Spanish  stronghold  on  the  southern  continent, 
and  mayhap  we  will  give  them  revenge  for  that 
which  they  plan  against  the  Choctaws  in  some 
small  measure." 

"  Aye,  aye,"  was  the  muttered  response  of  the 

337 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

pirates  that  traveled  around  the  room.  "  They 
will  have  no  quarter,  save  only  those  who  can 
give  good  ransom." 

"  There  is  one  man  in  Charleston  whom  I 
would  have  sail  with  us,  Bras  de  Fer,"  Schink- 
ing  said,  speaking  directly  to  the  giant.  "  And 
I  doubt  not  he  would  be  blithe  to  go  to  the 
rescue  of  his  old  friend.  I  would  that  Captain 
Middleton  sailed  with  us.  'Twas  with  him  that 
I  went  against  Augustine  and  I  know  the  qual 
ity  of  his  metal.  He  loves  your  father,  lady, 
and  there  is  none  in  Charleston  who  would  do 
more  to  serve  him.  I  wish  that  you  could  have 
brought  him  here  with  you,  Master  Captain." 

"  Captain  Middleton  is  here."  It  was  An 
toinette's  voice  and  her  eyes  turned  to  the  side 
of  the  house  from  which  I  spied.  "  He  is  with 
out,  Sir  Henry.  If  you  will  order  the  door 
opened  he  can  speak  for  himself." 

Thus  finding  myself  detected  I  passed  around 
the  corner  of  the  house,  to  stand  face  to  face 
with  the  pirate  of  the  pezos  earbobs.  He 
grinned  at  my  surprise  and  said  as  he  stepped 
aside : 

"  I  stood  on  guard,  Captain,  for  the  young 
court  gallant  told  me  that  I  was  not  to  show 
myself  to  you  but  let  you  follow  your  humor. 
They  have  unbarred  the  door,  sir;  would  you 
pass  within?  " 

338 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

I  felt  the  blood  burn  red  in  my  face  when  I 
stepped  within  the  door  and  met  the  questioning 
in  more  than  one  pair  of  eyes.  Morgan's  face 
was  sterner  than  was  his  wont  when  he  gazed 
on  a  friend. 

"  You  are  welcome  in  our  council,  Captain 
Middleton,"  he  cried,  though  he  made  no  move 
for  further  greeting.  "  I  lead  my  buccaneers 
against  Chagres  for  the  rescue  of  Colonel 
Huguenin  and  Lumulgee,  and  would  be  loath 
to  leave  behind  so  good  a  soldier  as  yourself, 
if  you  would  go  with  us." 

"  I  should  be  loath  to  stay  behind,  Sir 
Henry,"  I  answered  him  none  too  courteously, 
"  though  'tis  but  chance  that  has  led  me  to 
learn  of  it." 

"  Nay,  sir,"  he  answered,  "  Cayman  could 
not  gain  speech  with  you  this  morning  in  your 
city,  and  I  missed  you  later  on  your  estates. 
Captain  Bras  cle  Fer  and  the  surgeon  had  much 
ado  to  fetch  young  mistress  undetected,  for 
your  Governor  has  given  warning  to  all  free 
booters  ;  and  buccaneers  no  longer  pass  as  hon 
est  men  and  brave  Englishmen  in  your  province. 
If  you  join  with  us  in  this  expedition,  though 
it  be  for  the  rescue  of  friends,  'tis  at  your  own 
peril.  You  know  the  Governor's  law?  " 

"  Yea,"  I  answered.  "  I  know  his  law,  but  I 
also  know  my  own  mind.  I  will  go  with  you." 

339 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

"  Then  'twere  well  we  went,"  Bras  de  Fer 
exclaimed  moving  towards  the  door,  "if  we 
would  catch  the  tide  of  \vhich,  unless  my  cal 
culations  fail,  there  remains  less  than  a  quarter 
of  an  hour." 

"  Mistress  Huguenin? "  I  questioned,  turn 
ing  to  Morgan,  as  the  other  pirates  strode  with 
Bras  de  Fer  toward  the  beach,  "  she  cannot 
return  alone  to  Charleston." 

"  I  am  with  my  father's  trusty  slave,  who 
has  ever  proved  my  friend  and  protector,  Cap 
tain  Middleton,"  she  answered  coldly,  motion 
ing  towards  the  shed,  and  from  the  shadow  of 
which  stepped  out  Marcie's  husband,  the  patri 
arch  of  her  father's  plantation.  "  We  will  pass 
the  night  in  the  house  and  behind  the  palisades 
of  Master  Schinking." 

"  Have  you  naught  to  say  to  me,  Antoi 
nette?  "  I  asked,  after  we  had  stood  a  moment  in 
silence  and  I  saw  that  the  men  made  ready  to 
push  off  the  boats.  "  You  saw  that  I  followed 
you?" 

"  Yes,"  she  answered,  and  her  voice  had  the 
quality  of  fine  steel,  "  and  know  your  suspicions 
against  me." 

"My  suspicions!"  I  exclaimed,  feeling  the 
hot  blood  surge  into  my  brain  and  a  pain  as 
though  a  rough  hand  griped  my  heart  strings. 

"  Yea,"  she  answered,  and    her    voice  was 

34° 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

heavy  with  sadness.  "  Hadst  thou  trusted  me, 
Jack,  then  wouldst  thou  have  called  out,  on 
seeing  us  as  you  left  the  forest.  And  once 
here  thou  wouldst  have  come  boldly  to  the  door 
claiming  admittance  and  not  played  the  eaves 
dropper.  Didst  thou  love  me,  Jack,  thou 
wouldst  not  distrust  me." 

"  I  do  love  thee,  Antoinette,"  I  cried,  drop 
ping  on  my  knees  and  pressing  her  hand  against 
my  brow,  my  cheeks  and  my  lips.  "  I  swear 
that  I  love  thee  more  than  woman  was  ever 
loved.  But  I  did  not  understand." 

"  No,  and  because  thou  didst  not  understand 
thou  couldst  not  believe.  But  for  the  sake  of 
our  life's  happiness,  if  God  see  fit  to  so  bless 
us,  I  beg  thee  to  trust  me."  Never  sounded 
sweeter  music  in  my  ears  than  the  note  of  for 
giveness  in  her  voice.  "  Thou  goest  to  rescue 
my  father,  and  I  cannot  tell  thee  how  much  of 
love  and  gratitude  is  within  my  heart.  'Tis 
on  my  lips,  not  on  my  hand  that  I  would  have 
thee  press  thy  kisses.  They  may  be  the  last 
thou  may'st  ever  give  me,  Jack,  and  I  would 
carry  them  to  my  grave." 


341 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    YOUNG 


THE  next  day  dawned  and  I  looked  out 
upon  a  laughing  sea  with  eyes  that 
saw  its  beauty  but  dully.  I  did  not 
care  for  the  sunrise  except  that  it  brought  an 
other  day  to  her  whom  I  had  left  standing  in 
the  moonlight  on  the  edge  of  the  tobacco  field 
above  the  beach.  I  thought  of  her  as  riding 
back  to  Charleston,  under  the  guidance  of 
Marcie's  husband,  her  eyes  heavy  from  much 
weeping  and  her  thoughts  on  her  father  and  the 
lover  who  had  gone  to  his  rescue.  Then  the 
vision  changed  and  I  saw  her  ride  boldly  into 
the  city  with  a  laugh  on  her  lips  and  tell  of 
my  flight  to  the  Governor,  declaring  my  trea 
sonable  object  and  urging  Richelieu's  return 
to  France,  using  all  the  power  of  her  great 
beauty  and  her  woman's  wit  in  the  same  mad 
cap  daring  that  I  had  seen  aboard  the  pirate. 
Such,  I  knew,  was  her  metal,  though  the  night 
before  I  had  left  her  in  a  very  passion  of  despair 
at  our  parting. 

34* 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 

The  time  that  must  elapse  before  we  reached 
Chagres  stretched  out  before  me  as  tedious  a 
voyage  to  go  through  as  was  Elijah's  in  his 
forty  days'  journey  to  Horeb.  Eight  days 
dragged  by,  then  we  reached  Cape  Tiburon,  the 
place  chosen  for  a  rendezvous,  to  lay  in  stores 
for  the  venture.  Here  our  two  ships  were 
joined  by  eight  others,  large  and  small,  armed 
with  sixteen,  fourteen  and  ten  pound  guns,  and 
bearing  the  ransom  of  a  town  in  wheat  and 
salted  meat.  Morgan,  after  personally  inspect 
ing  each  bark,  called  a  council  of  war  in  the 
state  room  of  his  flag  ship,  appointed  peculiar 
signals  for  all  emergencies  and  divided  the  fleet 
into  two  squadrons.  The  Admiral's  division 
carried  a  red  banner  with  a  white  cross  and  at 
the  bowsprit  a  smaller  flag  of  blue,  white  and 
red,  while  the  other  squadron,  which  was  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Brantley,  bore  the 
royal  English  and  a  white  flag. 

At  the  next  sunrise  we  continued  our  journey 
and,  three  days  out,  chased  two  caravels  from 
Cuba;  but  contrary  winds  arising  they  escaped 
by  shallow  passages  between  some  small  islands 
and  Morgan  sent  up  signals  forbidding  his  cap 
tains  to  follow. 

"  'Tis  my  purpose  to  reach  Chagres  as  soon 
as  our  sails  can  take  us,  Captain  Middleton," 
he  told  me  when  we  had  watched  the  signals 

343 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

pass.  "  I'll  warrant  you  will  not  counsel  de 
lay." 

"  No,  I  will  not  counsel  delay,"  I  answered, 
"  nor,  I  fear  me,  quarter  to  those  we  find." 

"  There  would  be  none  amongst  us  to  give 
you  obedience  if  you  did,"  he  replied.  "  To 
sack  Chagres  and  leave  of  its  grim  fortress  not 
one  stone  upon  another  has  been  the  desire  of 
buccaneers  since  first  I  sailed  the  high  seas. 
Of  the  hundreds  of  our  brotherhood  who  have 
passed  within  its  walls  but  one  has  come  out 
and  by  an  escape  that  was  scarce  less  than  a 
miracle.  'Twas  from  him  that  I  had  account 
of  their  torture  chamber  and  by  it  reason  the 
fate  intended  for  the  two  we  seek.  An  we 
would  not  find  the  great  War-Chief  with  his 
eyes  torn  from  their  sockets,  and  Huguenin's 
tongue  pulled  out  by  the  roots,  we  must  make 
all  speed  and  tarry  not." 

We  did  not  tarry.  Though  the  hours  ap 
peared  to  creep  by  at  a  snail's  pace  I  knew  that 
every  heart-beat  brought  us  nearer  our  destina 
tion.  The  men  became  busier,  more  alert  under 
the  discipline  that  grew  more  strict  as  we  neared 
our  journey's  end.  At  last  we  came  in  sight 
of  the  great  mainland  which  the  Spaniards  in 
their  greed  sought  to  hold  to  the  exclusion  of 
all  the  world.  I  was  on  deck  when  the  land 

344 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

was  cried  and  the  Admiral  coming  from  his 
work  in  the  state  cabin  stood  at  my  side. 

"  Captain  Brantley  sacked  a  town  to  victual 
our  fleet,  Captain  Middleton,  and  now  we  will 
storm  yonder  fort  to  obtain  a  guide,"  he  said, 
pointing  to  the  fort  whose  guns  guarded  the 
entrance  of  the  bay  towards  which  we  sailed 
and  behind  which  stretched  a  city  of  no  incon 
siderable  size.  "  I  have  always  found  that  out 
laws  make  the  best  guides  for  outlaws,  and  we 
will  find  many  such  in  the  prisons  of  St.  Cath 
erine." 

"  Are  you  in  such  sore  need  of  guides,"  I 
questioned  in  surprise,  for  I  saw  that  the  stone 
batteries  that  faced  us,  if  resolutely  manned, 
would  be  able  to  beat  off  three  such  wooden 
fleets  as  the  one  he  led. 

"  Yea,"  he  answered,  "  we  need  guides  to 
lead  us  to  Panama  and  spies  to  carry  the  news 
of  our  expedition  and  our  object  to  Chagres. 
Morgan  has  again  taken  to  the  high  seas  and 
comes  once  more  to  fill  his  own  coffers,  and 
enrich  his  pirates  from  Panama — such  is  the 
tale  I  would  have  go  before  us  into  Chagres, 
else  might  the  wily  dons  guess  the  object  of 
our  coming.  Then  would  we  find  the  ones  we 
would  rescue  sojourners  no  longer  in  this  world. 
To-night  we  anchor  in  the  little  bay  below  the 

345 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

port  of  St.  Catherine's  and  at  daybreak  land 
and,  marching  across  that  range  of  wooded 
mountain,  attack  the  city  by  nightfall." 

With  three  old  buccaneers  who  had  harried 
that  coast  under  Mansvelt  as  our  guides  we 
marched  over  those  mountains  and  through  the 
dense  tangle  of  tropical  forest.  There  were  two 
hundred  picked  men  and  we  took  no  provisions 
for  the  march,  neither  food  nor  drink — nothing 
save  our  arms  and  ammunition — though  it  was 
plain  to  every  one  that  there  would  be  leagues 
of  rough  travel. 

"  'Tis  our  buccaneer  custom  to  fast  before 
we  feast,  Captain  Middleton,"  Brantley  told  me 
as  we  fought  our  way  through  the  dense  woods, 
close  on  the  heels  of  Morgan.  '  You  may  trust 
our  Admiral  to  lead  us  to  the  feast.  He  has 
a  keen  scent  for  rich  foods,  and  knows  well 
how  to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  his  men's  stom 
achs." 

The  men  about  us  laughed  at  his  jest  and  one 
began  to  sing  an  English  ballad.  'Twas  the 
song  that  Antoinette  had  sung,  swinging  in 
the  rigging  of  the  pirate  ship.  I  turned  and 
looked  at  the  man  keenly.  He  was  a  young 
Irishman,  the  man  who  had  volunteered  to  go 
as  spy  to  Chagres,  but  I  could  not  recall  him  as 
one  who  had  sailed  aboard  either  the  York  or 
the  captured  galleon. 

346 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    YOUNG 

"  'Tis  become  our  war-song,  Captain  Middle- 
ton,"  he  said,  the  blood  dyeing  his  face  as  he 
caught  my  eyes  fixed  upon  him.  '  The  war- 
song  of  the  prisoners  whom  the  young  court 
beauty  saved  from  the  sea  through  her  skill  at 
swords." 

"  'Twere  as  well  that  ye  sang  her  psalm, 
young  Paddy,"  an  old  buccaneer  called. 
"'Sblood!  'twill  take  both  His  rod  and  His 
staff  to  bring  ye  safely  to  Chagres  and  through 
the  errand  ye  were  so  blithe  to  undertake.  By 
'r  larkin!  'tis  fools  rush  on  when  brave  men 
draw  back." 

"  Pish !  brother,"  another  cried,  "  let  the  lad 
have  his  length  of  rope.  'Tis  given  us  all  in 
our  puppy  clays,  else  would  we  old  dogs  lack 
the  experience  that  we  call  bravery." 

"  Ay !  "  cried  a  third,  "  let  the  lad  be.  A 
merry  song  puts  springs  into  the  heels  and  cour 
age  into  the  heart.  'Twas  care  that  killed  the 
cat  and  fretting  thins  the  blood  and  is  damned 
bad  for  the  health.  Let  him  sing  our  gallant's 
ballad,  'twill  make  us  march  all  the  quicker." 

So  they  chaffed  each  other,  sometimes  in 
good  part  but  oftener  stopping  in  a  brawl  that 
would  have  become  a  fight  had  not  some  com 
rade  more  good-natured  interfered,  until  we 
came  within  half  a  league  of  the  city.  Then 
Morgan  turned  about — 'twas  the  first  time  that 

347 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

he  had  more  than  glanced  behind  since  the  be 
ginning  of  the  march — and  ordered  silence. 
The  men  who  swarmed  up  the  hill  and  around 
him  ceased  their  clamor  as  though  an  angel 
had  spoken.  He  ordered  a  halt  until  nightfall. 
Then  would  they  surprise  and  take  the  city  had 
they  any  hope  of  supper. 

'Twas  good  dusk  when  we  left  the  forest, 
and  as  silent  as  the  night  creatures  who  flitted 
around  us  we  swept  into  the  city  whose  only 
noise  was  our  footfalls  in  the  empty  streets.  A 
city  of  vacant  houses  so  we  found  it.  The 
people  all  fled.  For  once,  the  buccaneer  chief 
was  at  his  wits'  end.  Had  they  gone  to  the 
monasteries  and  convents  on  the  mountains,  to 
the  castle  fort,  or  had  they  taken  refuge  in 
the  shipping  which  that  morning  lay  in  the 
harbor,  but  now  had  sailed  away?  Just  as  the 
signal  was  given  for  a  council  a  great  uproar 
arose  among  the  pirates  who  in  rushing  hither 
and  thither  had  come  to  the  water  front  and 
discovered  the  hiding  place  of  the  fugitives. 
A  little  island  lay  in  the  harbor,  and  to  it  had 
fled  the  entire  population  by  means  of  a  narrow 
bridge.  Like  savage  dogs  who  sight  their  prey 
after  a  long  hunt,  the  pirates  made  a  rush  for 
the  bridge.  There  came  a  blaze  of  light,  a 
volley  of  musketry,  and  the  pirates  in  the  lead 
dropped  groaning  or  silent  forever.  There  was 

348 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

another  flash,  another  volley,  the  pirates  turned 
and  would  have  fled  as  madly  from  the  city  as 
they  had  rushed  in  had  not  Morgan  and  Brant- 
ley  faced  them  with  drawn  swords. 

Their  Admiral  rated  them  as  cowards  too 
contemptible  to  be  named  with  dogs.  He  swore 
at  them,  flinging  at  them  such  a  villainous  tor 
rent  of  abuse  as  I  had  never  heard  fall  from  the 
tongue  of  man.  In  a  very  transport  of  rage 
he  slashed  with  his  sword  at  those  who  pressed 
him,  then  jerking  out  a  pistol  swore  to  shoot 
down  any  man  who  did  not  lend  a  hand  in  bear 
ing  their  dead  and  wounded  from  the  city.  Like 
whipped  hounds  they  obeyed  him  and,  in  the 
face  of  the  enemy's  fire,  returned  and  lifting 
their  fallen  brothers,  bore  them  from  the  city 
into  the  forest  with  the  unwavering  precision 
of  \vell  disciplined  troops. 

Once  safe  in  the  forest  his  abuse  ceased  and 
he  became  once  more  their  undaunted  com 
mander.  Praising  their  manner  of  retreat,  he 
forgot  or  appeared  to  forget,  their  panic  and 
bade  them  seek  what  rest  they  could  against 
the  attack  on  the  morrow  and  quiet  the  crav 
ings  of  their  stomachs  with  thoughts  of  the 
feast  which  most  assuredly  would  be  theirs.  He 
busied  himself  in  attentions  on  the  wounded 
and  throughout  the  night  superintended  the 


changes  of  sentinels. 


349 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TO  UNO 

Before  dawn  the  camp  was  aroused  by  the 
shrieks  and  meanings  of  the  winds  in  the  forest. 
Tree-tops  were  twisted  off,  branches  fell  about 
us  bruising  and  wounding  the  half  wakened 
men,  while  great  trees  crashing  down  threat 
ened  them  with  instant  death  and  forced  them 
to  flee  into  the  open  country  for  safety.  Cold 
rain  began  to  fall  in  torrents,  and  it  seemed 
as  though  we  who  had  complained  of  the  tor 
rid  heat  of  the  sun  the  day  before  would  freeze 
to  death. 

At  daybreak  the  rain  ceased.  The  pirates 
heard  the  Spanish  drums  beating  the  diane  and 
became  as  courageous  as  ever  and  as  impatient 
to  attack.  Quantities  of  wood  and  brush  were 
collected  and  fires  started  with  the  intention 
of  quickly  drying  our  arms  but  the  rain  began 
again,  falling  in  such  blinding  sheets  that  it 
appeared  as  though  the  skies  were  melting  into 
water.  The  complaints  of  the  men  became 
loud  and  bitter  and  I  looked  for  mutiny,  when 
Morgan,  leaving  the  shanty  into  which  the 
wounded  had  been  placed  walked  among  us. 

"  Captain  Brantley,"  he  said,  "  you  Cay 
man,  and  you,"  pointing  to  the  young  Irish 
man,  "  will  skirt  around  the  harbor — with 
all  speed  possible — to  the  little  cove  where  you 
will  find  two  canoes  tied.  Man  one,  hoist  the 

35° 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

white  flag,  go  to  the  island,  seek  out  the  Gov 
ernor  and  deliver  to  him  the  message  contained 
in  this  paper."  He  handed  Brantley  a  closely 
folded  paper  drawn  from  the  breast  of  his 
doublet.  "If  you  are  not  returned  before  the 
noon  hour  I  will  attack  as  is  writ."  His  tone 
was  one  of  short,  sharp  command  and  the  men 
obeyed  almost  without  speaking. 

As  Brantley  and  those  appointed  to  go  with 
him  disappeared  among  the  trees  of  the  forest, 
the  pirates  about  me  sprang  to  their  feet  and, 
despite  the  cold  and  rain,  began  busy  prepara 
tions  for  the  attack.  Their  complaining  ceased 
and  there  was  no  more  talk  of  a  retreat. 

"  They  are  but  children,  Captain  Middle- 
ton,"  Morgan  told  me  as  we  stood  together 
watching  the  bands  of  eager  foragers  in  their 
search  for  fuel  and  anything  eatable  with  which 
to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  their  stomachs.  "  You 
must  keep  them  busy  if  you  would  have  them 
content.  There  are  scarce  a  dozen  amongst 
them  who  would  not  rush  pell  mell  into  the 
city  in  search  of  food — of  which  they  would 
find  none,  for  the  Spaniards  have  left  their 
town  as  though  swept  with  a  broom  so  far  as 
things  eatable  are  concerned — were  it  not  for 
the  cordon  of  sentries  and  the  order  to  shoot 
down  all  who  attempt  to  go  beyond  the  lines 

351 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

of  the  camp.  'Twas  the  only  way  left  me  to 
conceal  our  weakness  and  make  the  Spaniards 
believe  us  the  multitude  from  which  they  fled." 

"  You  think  they  fancy  us  a  multitude?  "  I 
asked. 

"  Yea,"  he  answered,  "  there  stands  their 
city  deserted  and  their  island  barricaded  against 
ten  thousand.  Every  ship  in  the  harbor  has 
put  out  to  sea  and  the  fortress  fairly  bristles 
with  soldiers.  'Twas  on  this  evidence  that  I 
demanded  their  surrender." 

"Then  you  did  demand  their  surrender?" 
I  questioned,  amazed  at  his  bold  audacity. 

"  I  threatened  to  put  them  to  the  sword  if 
they  did  not  yield,"  he  declared  laughing  at 
the  amazement  which  I  knew  was  written  on 
my  face.  "  I  am  no  shrinking  woman,  Captain 
Middleton,  and  know  right  well  the  metal  of 
the  Spaniards.  If  I  mistake  not  the  man  who 
governs  St.  Catherine  my  terms  will  be  ac 
cepted." 

That  he  rated  the  man  justly  was  proved 
on  the  arrival  of  Brantley  charged  with  the 
Governor's  answer.  This  answer  declared  that 
the  Governor  of  St.  Catherine  had  decided  in 
full  conference  with  his  councillors  that  it  was 
impossible  for  them  to  defend  the  city  against 
such  an  armada,  and  humbly  begged  the  buc 
caneer  admiral  to  accept  a  certain  blood- 

352 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

less  stratagem  which  would  not  only  save  his 
own  head  but  preserve  the  reputation  of  his 
officers  at  home  and  abroad.  Morgan  was  to 
come  at  night  and  assault  the  fort  of  St. 
Jerome,  which  stood  near  the  bridge  that  joined 
the  island  with  the  city.  At  the  same  time 
troops  were  to  land  near  the  battery  of  St.  Mat 
thew — on  the  island — and  take  prisoner  the 
Governor  as  he  fled  for  safety  to  St.  Jerome. 
Thus  captured  and  threatened  with  the  loss  of 
his  own  life  and  the  destruction  of  his  people, 
he  would  surrender  the  city  and  the  two  forts. 

Morgan  accepted  his  terms,  and  that  night, 
after  feasting  on  the  provisions  sent  him  by 
this  same  brave  Spanish  official,  he  led  out  his 
buccaneers  and  went  through  the  mummery  as 
arranged.  With  much  smoke  and  great  con 
sumption  of  powder,  but  no  cannon  balls,  our 
enemies  were  driven  back,  the  island  was  sur 
rendered  and  Spanish  pride  remained  unhurt. 

The  object  of  our  visit  was  still  to  seek.  The 
next  morning  when  Morgan  demanded  the  sur 
render  of  the  castle  and  its  prisoners,  the  Gov 
ernor  shook  his  head.  Like  Chagres  it  was  a 
royal  prison  and  under  the  control  of  a  Gov 
ernor  appointed  by  His  Most  Catholic  Majesty. 
Its  dungeons  were  crowded  with  prisoners  both 
from  Old  and  New  Spain — people  whose  liberty 
threatened  the  peace  of  the  country  and  who 

353 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

were  sent  to  rot  in  its  dungeons  or  endure  the 
pain  of  a  thousand  deaths  in  its  torture  cham 
bers.  Its  Governor  had  sworn  not  to  surrender 
and  it  was  the  opinion  of  the  valiant  ruler,  who 
stood  our  prisoner,  that  it  could  not  be  taken. 

"  It  can  and  shall  be,"  Morgan  cried  with  a 
torrent  of  oaths  against  Spain  and  her  manner 
of  warfare,  as  he  turned  and  strode  from  the 
governor's  presence.  "  Bras  de  Fer,"  he  thun 
dered,  to  the  captain  of  the  Phoenix,  "  pick 
you  ten  men  and  bring  out  the  religious  folk 
from  the  convent,  men  and  women — all.  Cap 
tain  Brantley,  you  with  Captain  Middleton  and 
the  men  under  you,  build  ladders  to  escalade 
the  fort.  See  to  it  that  they  are  both  broad 
and  strong." 

The  tone  of  his  voice  left  no  room  for  ques 
tioning,  and  the  men  called  on  sprang  to  do  his 
bidding,  straining  both  muscles  and  brain.  He 
took  as  his  own  task  the  collecting  and  dis 
tributing  of  arms  and  ammunition.  So  perfect 
was  his  discipline,  and  so  promptly  were  his 
orders  obeyed,  that  nightfall  found  his  entire 
force,  save  those  who  were  left  to  guard  the 
city  and  its  imprisoned  inhabitants,  outside  the 
walls  of  the  castle  and  the  attack  begun. 

'Twas  past  midnight  when  I  saw  Master  Ber 
nard  Schinking  rush  out  the  firing  lines  at  the 
head  of  a  handful  of  buccaneers;  some  half 

354 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

dozen  priests  were  with  them  bearing  scaling 
ladders. 

"  To  the  walls !  brothers,"  the  Dutchman 
shouted.  "  To  the  walls  and  up  the  ladders 
that  the  good  fathers  shall  plant  for  us!  The 
Dons  have  hundreds  of  gunners  to  take  the 
place  of  those  we  pick  off  and  should  their  bul 
lets  fail,  they  have  the  church  plate  and  hogs 
heads  of  other  treasure  to  melt  down  and 
mould." 

The  pirates  answered  as  one  man.  With 
wild  yells  and  hurrahs  they  followed  Schink- 
ing's  lead,  swarming  under  the  walls  like  a 
pack  of  hounds  springing  at  the  quarry.  They 
threw  their  grenades,  battered  against  the  iron 
door,  unmindful  of  the  flaming,  bursting  pots 
and  other  missiles  hurled  down  upon  them,  and 
the  comrades  who  fell  groaning  at  their  sides. 
Schinking  had  touched  the  right  cord — solved 
the  mystery  of  where  the  treasures  of  the  city 
had  been  hidden. 

"  Bring  up  the  sisters,  Cayman,"  he 
shouted,  giving  the  order  which  I  believe  in 
my  heart  Morgan  himself  would  not  have 
voiced.  "  'Tis  with  their  weak  hands  we  would 
plant  these  ladders.  Draw  not  back,  man,"  he 
shouted  to  me.  "  There  are  women  in  that 
prison,  women  as  young  and  well  born  as  An 
toinette,  whose  limbs  and  tender  bodies  know 

355 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

the  tortures  of  the  rack.  On,  brothers,  on !  "  he 
cried  to  those  who  obeying  his  orders  dragged 
forward  the  terror  stricken  servants  of  the 
church  and  with  pistols  and  knives  thrust  into 
their  faces  forced  them  to  plant  the  ladders. 

A  cry  of  horror  and  rage  burst  from  those 
who  manned  the  walls.  Missiles  ceased  to  fall 
and  every  gun  of  the  battery  was  silenced.  The 
stratagem  had  proved  successful.  The  super 
stitious  Spaniards  refused  to  obey  their  leaders 
to  the  destruction  of  the  consecrated  servants  of 
God.  A  very  babel  arose  within  the  walls. 
The  garrison  had  turned  against  their  officers 
and  with  the  death  dealing  implements  intended 
for  the  destruction  of  the  attacking  party  fought 
among  themselves.  Scaling  the  walls  unop 
posed  we  sprang  among  them,  hurling  them 
from  the  ramparts,  clubbing  them  with  our 
guns,  stabbing  them  with  swords,  as  unresist 
ing  as  frightened  sheep.  Driven  into  the  court 
yard  of  the  prison  they  threw  down  their  arms, 
and  begged  for  quarter,  shouting  out  their 
hatred  for  the  Governor  and  the  few  officers 
who  in  their  efforts  to  save  the  castle  had 
sought  to  force  them  to  destroy  the  nuns  and 
priests. 

"  'Tis  the  dungeons  as  well  as  the  treasure 
coffers  we  would  empty,  Captain  Middleton," 

356 


"  Missiles  ceased  to  fall.      The.  stratagem  had  proved 
successful." 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

Morgan  cried,  after  the  cannon  had  been 
manned  and  the  captured  soldiers  placed  under 
guard.  "  I  would  find  my  guide  to  Chagres 
and  give  liberty  to  the  miserable  creatures  we 
shall  rout  out  from  those  noisome  holes.  To 
the  prisoners  of  Spain  the  buccaneers  are  al 
ways  welcome." 

We  began  our  inspection  of  the  cells,  walk 
ing  through  long  damp  corridors  at  the  gaoler's 
heels.  Our  swords  were  drawn  and  our  scab 
bards  clanked  against  the  rough  stone  walls. 

"  Not  there,"  Morgan  cried,  as  our  guide 
would  have  unlocked  a  door  on  the  first  pas 
sage.  "  To  the  black-hole  first.  We  will  begin 
at  the  bottom  and  work  up." 

"  There  are  but  two  prisoners  in  the  black- 
hole,"  the  gaoler  growled.  "  And  neither  of 
them  is  an  Englishman." 

"  Whatever  they  be,  so  they  are  not  Span 
iards,"  Bras  de  Fer  cried,  "  we  knock  off 
their  chains  and  give  them  freedom  from  the 
black  den  in  which  they  rot.  Adzooks !  " 
he  exclaimed,  as  we  turned  into  another  passage 
and  found  ourselves  at  the  top  of  a  third  flight 
of  steps  leading  downwards;  "  'tis  to  hell  itself 
he  leads  us." 

"  Tis  under  the  moat,"  Morgan  replied. 
These  royal  prisons  all  have  such  holes,  and, 

357 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    YOUNG 

like  as  not,  'twill  be  in  just  such  a  one  at  Cha- 
gres  that  we  shall  find  Huguenin  and  the  War- 
Chief." 

We  stopped.  Cayman  raised  the  torch 
above  his  head  that  we  might  the  better  see 
about  us.  It  was  the  end  of  the  passage.  The 
rough  walls  and  floor  were  slippery  with  moist 
ure  and  slimy  creatures,  noisome  both  to  sight 
and  touch,  crawled  over  them.  The  gaoler 
thrust  the  great  key  into  the  lock,  we  heard  it 
grate,  then  he  pressed  his  shoulder  against  the 
door  and  forced  it  open  slowly. 

'Twas  a  low-roofed  room,  more  damp  and 
stifling  than  the  passage  leading  to  it.  We 
glanced  around  and  at  first  I  saw  nothing, 
then  as  the  flickering  light  of  the  torch  pene 
trated  the  dark  corners,  driving  out  the  mid 
night  blackness,  I  saw  two  figures.  Human 
beings  they  were,  men,  standing  in  the  corner 
farthest  from  the  door.  The  smaller  one  was 
somewhat  in  advance  of  his  fellow  prisoner,  the 
taller  was  like  the  overdrawn  shadow  of  the 
first.  They  faced  us,  but  I  could  not  tell 
whether  they  were  white,  red,  or  black  so  dim 
was  the  light  that  fell  into  their  corner.  Only 
the  outlines  of  their  figures  and  their  burning 
eyes  could  be  distinguished. 

There  was  a  deep  indrawn  breath  as  the  torch 

358 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

light  fell  upon  them, — an  inarticulate  exclama 
tion,  more  animal  than  man. 

"  Morgan !  "  a  hoarse  voice  called.  "  Mor- 
gan!" 

"  Great  God !  "  the  Buccaneer  chief  cried, 
springing  forward.  "  Great  God !  Uldric !  Ul- 
dric!  Lumulgee!  Is  it  you?  " 


359 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 


CHARLESTON  lay  stretched  before  us. 
The  waters  of  the  harbor  touched  by 
rays   of   the   setting   sun    sparkled   as 
though   with   the   light    of   countless   brilliant 
gems,  but  the  sight  brought  me  no  gladness. 
The  dull  pain  that  had  pressed  like  a  weight 
upon  me  was  quickened  into  life  and  seemed 
a  living  hand  griping  my  heart  strings. 

"  If  she  sailed  for  France  the  week  after  you 
left,  Jack,  there's  been  time  for  several  ships 
bringing  tidings  of  her,"  Colonel  Huguenin 
said.  We  stood  against  the  rail  looking  at 
all  about  us  as  the  merchantman  sailed  into  the 
harbor  and  those  aboard  hurried  hither  and 
thither,  making  ready  for  our  landing. 

"Aye,"  I  answered;  "there  has  been  time." 
'Twas  a  long  journey  and  bitter  to  wed  one 
she  does  not  love,  my  poor  little  maid,"  he  said, 
his  voice  heavy  with  emotion.  "  To  look  for 
ward  to  a  loveless  marriage  is  like  gazing  into 
the  still  grey  of  a  snow-laden  heaven.  All 
brightness  is  shut  out  and  we  see  the  days  of 

360 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

our  life  drop  by  with  the  cheerless  monotony  of 
the  fall  of  those  cold,  chilling  flakes,  and  know 
that  not  until  the  last  day  of  mortality  drops 
away  can  we  step  into  the  sunlight  of  eternity." 

"  And  she  loved  him  not,  you  say  ?  "  I  asked, 
turning  and  eyeing  him  narrowly.  The  bitter 
ness  in  my  heart  was  like  gall,  yet  I  knew  that 
one  more  drop  would  be  added  with  the  knowl 
edge  that  she  loved  another.  If  forced  by  cir 
cumstances  too  strong  for  her  to  battle  against 
she  had  married  him,  that  I  had  schooled  myself 
to  face  with  fortitude;  but  that  she  loved  him 
— God!  the  pain  shot  deep,  and  it  was  with 
my  own  hand  that  I  twisted  the  skewers.  "  He 
is  the  handsomest  man  at  the  French  court, 
Colonel  Huguenin,  and  it  is  said  that  all  the 
ladies,  even  royalty  itself,  are  victims  to  his 
wit  and  beauty." 

"She  was  not;  that  I'll  swear!"  Antoi 
nette's  father  cried,  and  the  assurance  that  rang 
in  his  voice  made  my  heart  leap  with  joy. 
'  There  was  a  time  when  I  feared  for  her, 
knowing  the  lightness  with  which  the  Duke  was 
reputed  to  hold  women,  but  it  passed  and  I 
knew  that  it  had  been  but  a  girlish  fancy.  She 
loved  him  not  when  she  quitted  France.  'Twas 
as  we  learned  at  Jamaica;  she  claimed  the  pro 
tection  of  King  Louis  as  the  promised  wife  of 
his  favorite  to  defend  herself  against  the  Eng- 

361 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

lish  James'  order  to  Moreton  to  deliver  her  to 
the  Spaniard.  'Twas  a  choice  between  two  evils 
and  she  chose  the  lesser;  for  a  Frenchman, 
however  bad,  lacks  the  ferocious  cruelty  of  a 
Don." 

"  Aye,"  I  answered,  and  in  my  heart  I 
grudged  that  I  could  not  gainsay  it. 

Then  we  left  the  deck  and  taking  our  places 
in  the  long  boat  were  rowed  to  the  landing. 
There  were  many  friendly  faces  among  the 
crowd  who  gazed  at  us  from  the  wharf  and 
when  some  one  who  recognized  me  cried  out 
my  name  there  sounded  a  murmur  of  surprise 
and  men  who  were  farther  up  the  street  rushed 
down  to  the  water's  edge.  Then  I  bethought 
me  and  leaning  forward  lifted  the  hat  from 
Huguenin's  head  that  all  might  see  who  it  was 
that  came  with  me.  A  shout  arose  from  the 
crowd  as  though  from  the  throat  of  one  man. 
Eager  hands  stretched  out  to  receive  and  hold 
the  boat  and  cries  of  welcome  and  a  babel  of 
questions  greeted  us  as  we  sprang  to  the  wharf. 

"Bernard  Schinking?  Where  is  Master 
Schinking,  Colonel  Huguenin  ?  "  one  man.  an 
old  Dutchman,  called  out.  "  We  know  that 
he  brought  tidings  of  you,  and  then  sailed  away 
with  Morgan's  Buccaneers." 

"  And  he  sailed  again  with  Morgan's  Buc 
caneers  once  they  had  freed  me  from  the  Span- 

362 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

ish  dungeon  and  set  us  down  safe  at  Jamaica," 
Huguenin  replied. 

"  Zounds !  but  I  would  I  were  with  them," 
a  younger  man  cried.  "  'Tis  a  noble  calling, 
and  I'll  warrant  Morgan  is  as  gallant  a  gentle 
man  as  ever  slit  throat  or  scuttled  ship." 

I  felt  a  light  touch  on  my  shoulder  and  a 
brown  hand  was  stretched  out  to  me,  a  hand 
as  smooth  and  firm  as  moulded  in  bronze.  I 
started  and  raised  my  eyes,  and  saw  standing 
before  me  him  to  whom  I  knew  that  hand  be 
longed. 

"  Acuera !  "  I  cried,  throwing  my  free  arm 
across  his  shoulder.  The  feeling  in  my  heart 
was  as  though  I  greeted  a  brother. 

"Captain  Middleton,"  he  answered;  and, 
from  his  eyes,  I  read  that  he  understood  and 
returned  my  love. 

"  I  saw  them  strike  you  down  as  we  fought 
in  Augustine,  Acuera,"  I  told  him,  "  and  I 
thought  not  to  see  you  again  this  side  the 
Happy  Hunting  Grounds." 

"  They  gave  me  many  wounds,  Captain  Mid 
dleton,  and  left  me  for  dead;  but  I  crawled  to 
the  gate  and  finding  it  unguarded,  let  myself 
out  and  into  the  forest,"  he  answered.  "  For 
two  moons  I  hid  by  day,  and  at  night  dragging 
myself  farther  away  from  the  city  came  at  last 
into  the  camp  of  a  band  of  Cherokee  braves  re- 

363 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

turning  to  their  country  to  the  north  of  the 
Choctaw  nation  from  pearl  fishing  in  the  great 
sea.  They  received  the  Choctaw  brave  as  a 
brother,  dressing  his  wounds  and  bearing  him 
with  them  on  their  march  into  the  borders  of 
the  hunting  grounds  of  his  own  people,  else 
Acuera  would  be  with  his  father,  the  great  war 
rior  of  the  Coosaws,  in  the  Happy  Hunting 
Grounds  of  the  Indians.  The  Great  War-Chief 
of  the  Choctaws  ?  "  he  asked,  turning  to  Hu- 
guenin.  "  He  was  sent  captive  with  Colonel 
Huguenin  into  the  land  of  the  Spaniard;  does 
he  return  in  the  same  great  ship  ?  " 

For  the  space  of  two  minutes  there  was  com 
plete  silence,  as  Acuera  gazed  into  the  eyes  of 
the  man  he  questioned.  I  saw  his  face  become 
as  a  still  pool  and  knew  that  he  steeled  himself 
against  what  he  read.  Then  Huguenin,  rais 
ing  his  arm,  pointed  across  the  sea  to  the  south 
ward. 

"  I  left  him  there,  Acuera,"  he  said.  "  Three 
days  out  from  the  dungeon  cells  from  which  our 
friends  took  him  eaten  by  gangrene,  we  buried 
him  in  the  great  sea  across  which  he  came  as 
a  boy  into  the  land  of  the  Choctaw." 

"  'Tis  well,"  the  young  brave  answered, 
without  so  much  as  the  quiver  of  a  lash,  and 
his  voice  was  as  emotionless  as  his  face.  "  He 
went  to  meet  in  the  Happy  Hunting  Ground 

364 


WHEN    the     LAND   was    TOUNG 

the  Emperor  of  the  Choctaws  and  so  many  of 
his  warriors  that  the  leaves  on  the  great  tree 
in  the  forest  would  scarce  number  them." 

'  The  temple,  Acuera,"  I  cried,  "  and  the 
great  village?  " 

'  They  are  gone,  Captain  Middleton,"  he  re 
plied,  a  bitter  smile  twisting  his  lips  and  his 
eyes  gleaming  like  living  coals.  "  Plundered 
of  their  treasures  by  the  Spanish  dogs,  who 
swept  from  the  earth  by  fire  all  that  they  could 
not  bear  away  on  their  horses.  The  Choctaw 
braves  roam  in  the  Happy  Hunting  Grounds 
with  their  fathers;  their  women  and  children 
are  driven  into  captivity  or  blown  about  as 
dead  leaves  before  a  blast  of  the  north  wind." 

With  curses  in  my  heart  and  black  hatred 
against  the  race  whose  history  in  the  New 
World  was  but  a  succession  of  such  dastardly 
deeds,  I  turned  and  made  my  way  half  blindly  to 
the  Governor's  house,  followed  by  Huguenin 
and  many  of  those  who  had  greeted  us  on  the 
wharf.  Moreton  had  been  told  of  our  arrival 
and  met  us  at  the  door.  His  face  was  white 
and  haggard-looking,  despite  the  joy  that  shone 
in  his  eyes,  and  the  hands  with  which  he 
grasped  my  shoulders  trembled  as  those  of  a 
man  with  palsy. 

"  I  thought  never  to  see  you  again,  Captain 
Middleton,"  he  said,  his  voice  hoarse  with  emo- 

365 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

tion.  "  Mistress  Antoinette  told  me  of  your 
leaving  and  for  what,  and  though  each  Sab 
bath  the  whole  colony  has  prayed  for  your  safe 
return  and  for  the  success  of  your  enterprise, 
there  was  not  one  among  us  who  did  not  ask 
with  a  doubting  heart.  God  has  blessed  both 
you  and  us,  Colonel  Huguenin." 

"  He  has  ever  been  my  merciful,  loving 
Father,  Governor  Moreton,  and  as  such  I  have 
earnestly  tried  to  worship  and  obey  Him,"  Hu 
guenin  replied,  reverently  lifting  the  hat  from 
his  head. 

"  He  has  blessed  you  with  a  noble  daughter, 
sir,"  he  cried,  and  I  saw  the  tears  spring  into 
his  eyes. 

"  Has  your  Honor  no  tidings  of  her?  "  Hu 
guenin  asked.  "  In  Jamaica  we  learned  of  her 
mission  to  France  and  according  to  that  report 
there  has  been  time  for  later  news  of  her  acts." 

"  In  every  ship  sailing  since  their  arrival  at 
King  Louis'  court  I  have  had  letters  from  Mis 
tress  Moreton — 

"From  Mistress  Moreton!"  I  exclaimed. 
"  Did  she  go  with  her  ?  " 

"  Yea,"  he  answered.  "  She  could  not  let 
her  go  alone,  unattended  by  an  older  woman, 
on  such  a  mission." 

"  True,"  I  cried,  and  to  my  own  ears  my 
voice  was  harsh  with  bitterness.  "  On  such  a 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

mission  a  girl  ever  needs  a  woman  friend. 
Court  beauties  as  well  as  timid  country  maids 
must  have  the  counsels  and  consolation  of  a 
married  woman  at  such  a  time.  Modesty  is  a 
virtue  that  is  best  assumed  by  maids  even 
though  they  have  it  not." 

''  Timid  country  maids?  Modesty?  "  More- 
ton  repeated  regarding  me  in  puzzled  surprise. 
"  I  do  not  understand  your  meaning,  Captain 
Middleton,  but  you  above  all  men  know  under 
what  obligations  my  wife  stands  to  Mistress 
Antoinette  Huguenin.  She  could  not  have  al 
lowed  her  to  go  unattended  to  France  even  had 
her  mission  been  one  of  less  grave  import.  How 
bravely  your  daughter  played  the  part  thrust 
on  her  and  from  what  she  rescued  my  wife  as 
well  as  herself,  Colonel  Huguenin,  you  have 
doubtless  been  told,  but  there  are  not  words 
enough  to  express  the  gratitude  in  my  heart. 
When  King  James's  ship  sailed  into  our  harbor 
demanding  the  delivery  of  Mistress  Antoinette, 
that  she  might  be  returned  to  the  governor  at 
Augustine,  I  made  all  resistance  and  delay  that 
was  in  my  power.  I  sent  for  my  council,  and 
for  the  burgesses;  I  writ  out  the  paper  resign 
ing  my  Governor's  warrant,  and  would  have 
given  it  them,  forcing  them  to  relieve  me  of 
my  power  and  throw  me  into  prison  as  a  traitor, 
had  not  Richelieu  claimed  her  as  a  loyal  sub- 

367 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

ject  of  King  Louis  and  so  protected  her  better 
than  aught  that  I  could  ever  have  done.  At 
best  I  could  have  but  delayed  for  a  few  short 
weeks  obedience  to  King  James's  command  by 
refusing  to  basely  give  up  the  girl  who  had,  at 
the  risk  of  more  than  life,  saved  my  wife  from 
a  fate  most  horrible.  Richelieu  took  her  to 
France.  That  she  has  been  kindly  received  at 
the  French  court  and  has  gained  King  Louis's 
ear  as  reported  by  my  wife's  letters  was  proved 
in  a  paper  brought  yesterday  by  the  Mary.  It 
was  an  order  rescinding  the  warrants  for  her 
own  and  your  surrender  to  the  agent  of  the 
King  of  Spain." 

"  Ah !  "  Huguenin  cried,  his  voice  husky  and 
his  eyes  filling  with  tears  as  he  grasped  the 
hand  that  Moreton  extended  to  him.  "  'Twas 
a  great  sacrifice,  but  I  knew  that  she  would 
leave  no  stone  unturned,  my  faithful  little  maid. 
But  her  marriage,  when  will  that  be  cele 
brated?" 

Moreton's  eyes  widened  with  surprise,  then 
he  turned  them  on  me  with  something  like  a 
smile  gleaming  in  their  depths.  "  That  ques 
tion  can  best  be  answered  by  another  man,  Col 
onel  Huguenin,"  he  replied.  "  I  had  hoped  to 
see  it  celebrated  in  Charleston  on  her  return 
unless  Captain  Middleton  prove  so  ardent  a 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TO  UNO 

lover  that  he  must  needs  hasten  to  France  to 
wed  her." 

"  But  the  Due  de  Richelieu?  "  I  cried.  "  We 
were  told  in  Jamaica  that  she  went  to  France 
to  wed  him." 

"  Pish !  Captain  Middleton,"  Moreton  ex 
claimed  sternly.  "  Do  you  know  so  little  the 
lady  whom  you  would  wed  that  you  rate  her 
word  so  lightly?  You  saw  her  here — in  this 
room — when  she  received  the  letter  from  the 
King  of  France;  you  heard  her  words  to  the 
French  duke;  and  yet  you  believed  an  idle 
rumor,  misdoubted  her  love  and  her  promises 
to  you.  Such  distrust  is  beneath  you,  man, 
and  dishonors  the  noble  lady  who  has  bestowed 
on  you  the  blessing  of  her  love." 

I  dropped  my  eyes  in  very  shame  for  I  knew 
that  he  spoke  naught  but  the  truth.  Again  I 
had  a  vision  of  her  as  she  had  last  appeared 
to  me  and  her  words  rang  in  my  ears  bringing 
tears  into  my  eyes :  "  An  thou  lovest  me  Jack, 
thou  wouldst  have  trusted  me." 

"  Thou  didst  not  tell  me,  Jack,"  Huguenin 
cried,  griping  my  hand,  "  thou  didst  not  tell 
me  that  Antoinette  loved  thee.  An  thou  hadst, 
boy,  thou  shouldst  not  have  suffered,  as  I  now 
know  that  thou  hast;  for  I  would  have  reas 
sured  thee  of  the  steadfastness  of  my  little 

369 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    YOUNG 

maid's  heart.  I  would  not  have  allowed  the 
black  demons  of  jealousy  to  eat  thy  heart  out. 
Thou  hast  earned  both  her  heart  and  her  hand, 
and  since  thou  hast  her  heart  thou  shalt  have 
her  hand.  Thou  shalt  go  with  me  to  France  on 
the  next  ship  sailing  and  if  it  is  thy  will,  lad, 
we  will  take  her  to  England  and  there  thou 
shalt  wed  her  as  I  did  her  mother." 

"  And  cheat  your  friends  in  Charleston  out 
of  the  joys  of  a  great  wedding  and  the  sight  of 
a  beautiful  bride?"  Moreton  cried,  laughing 
with  something  like  heartiness.  "  Had  I  the 
powers  of  the  king  of  Spain,  Colonel  Hugue- 
nin,  I  would  forbid  your  leaving  the  settle 
ment;  but  as  I  am  but  an  humble  officer  to  King 
James  and  the  servant  of  the  people  of  Carolina, 
I  must  needs  tell  you  that  the  Richard  sails  the 
day  after  to-morrow,  and  wish  you  God 
speed!" 


37° 


WHEN    the    LAND   was    TOUNG 


THE  great  salon  of  Versailles  was  ablaze 
with  light  and  filled  by  such  a  throng 
of  gorgeously  dressed  men  and  women 
that,  when  we  entered,  I  was  near  rubbing  my 
eyes  like  a  child  suddenly  awakened.  The  king 
of  France  held  his  midweek  appartement — the 
most  brilliant  of  the  three  levees  held  during 
every  seven  days — and  the  viscount  Uldric  Hu- 
guenin  with  his  friend,  Captain  Middleton  of 
the  province  of  Carolina,  had  been  bidden.  On 
our  arrival,  the  morning  of  this  same  day,  we 
had  been  received  by  a  messenger  from  King 
Louis  who  acquainted  us  with  the  fact  that 
Mademoiselle  Huguenin  had  gone  into  the 
country  to  visit  her  grandaunt,  and  when  Hu 
guenin  would  have  followed  her  he  was  very 
courteously  informed  that  it  was  the  King's 
pleasure  that  we  should  attend  his  midweek 
levee  and  remain  at  Versailles  until  such  time 
as  the  king  should  find  it  convenient  to  hear 
an  account  of  the  New  World  from  lips  so 
capable  of  telling  its  wonders.  Thus  con- 

371 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

strained  we  controlled  our  impatience  and  with 
smiling  lips  followed  the  young  gallant  ap 
pointed  to  conduct  us  into  the  salon  of  Ver 
sailles. 

We  stopped  within  the  great  doors  dazzled 
by  a  brilliancy  unusual  to  our  eyes  so  long  ac 
customed  only  to  the  rays  of  the  sun  upon  the 
moss-draped  forest  and  the  white-capped  sea. 
While  our  conductor  was  conversing  with  Hu- 
guenin,  pointing  out  the  various  notables  who 
had  sprung  from  oblivion  or  grown  old  past 
recognition,  since  he  was  last  at  court,  I  used 
my  eyes  to  such  good  purpose  that  I  became 
accustomed  to  the  glare  and  shifting  of  colors 
before  me. 

Among  the  laughing,  chattering,  whispering, 
gaily  dressed  crowd  who  strutted  before  us 
with  their  mincing  tip-toe  gait  there  was  one 
figure  that  caught  and  held  my  gaze.  He  was 
well  nigh  the  tallest  man  in  the  room,  well 
made  and  with  a  clear  swinging  stride  despite 
the  high  red  heels  of  his  square-toed  shoes. 
Though  he  stood  with  his  side  to  me  his  face 
was  so  shielded  that  I  could  scarce  get  a  glimpse 
of  his  features,  so  busy  was  he  passing  his  ivory 
comb  through  his  periwig.  I  watched  him,  try 
ing  to  reason  in  my  mind  who  it  was  he  so 
closely  resembled.  Then  he  faced  me.  Clean 
shaven,  his  skin  was  as  brown  as  the  inner  bark 

372 


WHEN   the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

of  a  cedar;  but  I  knew  him  not  and  turned 
aside  to  note  the  people  about  whom  Huguenin 
talked. 

"  Mignard?  Is  it,  indeed,  Pierre  Mignard?  " 
he  was  asking,  and  following  the  direction  of 
his  eyes  I  saw  an  old  man  who  leaned  heavily 
upon  the  arm  of  a  beautiful  girl  laughing  and 
talking  with  a  group  who  stood  around  them. 
"  When  last  I  saw  him,  it  was  at  the  home  of 
Scarron.  Poor,  witty  Scarron !  I  can  see  him 
now,  wheeling  himself  about  among  his  guests 
in  his  cripple's  chair,  his  roguish  eyes  spark 
ling;  laughing  and  scattering  compliments;  all 
the  while  scratching  himself  with  his  ivory 
wand.  It  was  before  Mignard  made  himself 
famous  painting  with  his  left  hand  the  face  of 
his  own  child  as  saints  and  angels  of  Heaven. 
But  Scarron !  We  little  thought  in  those  days 
to  see  the  time  when  his  prison-born  wife  would 
hold  the  fortune  of  France  in  her  dimpled  hand. 
You  say  that  Mademoiselle  Mignard  is  the 
most  beautiful  woman  in  France?"  he  asked 
turning  to  the  young  gallant. 

"  When  Mademoiselle  Huguenin  is  not  by," 
he  answered  with  a  shrug.  "  An  she  should 
enter  the  room  this  minute  all  eyes  would  turn 
her  way.  Yea,  and  remain  that  way  even 
should  Louis  himself  come  in." 

"  She  favors  the  Due  de  Richelieu?  "  I  asked 

373 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

him,  privately;  for,  brought  face  to  face  with 
all  the  light  and  beauty  of  the  French  court  in 
which  she  had  passed  so  much  of  her  life,  my 
heart  misgave  me  when  I  thought  of  the  hard 
ships  of  the  only  life  that  I  could  offer  her. 
"  They  will  make  a  handsome  couple,  if  King 
Louis  will  but  sanction  their  union." 

"  It  is  not  the  sanction  of  the  King  that  is 
lacking,"  he  answered,  glancing  at  Huguenin 
whose  eyes  were  still  busy  with  those  about 
him;  "  for  it  is  well  known  that  Louis  \vould 
consent  to  almost  any  match  that  would  hold 
the  beauty  at  his  court — though  de  Maintenon 
likes  her  but  indifferently  well.  But  Mademoi 
selle  Huguenin  turns  as  deaf  an  ear  to  the  love 
sighs  of  Richelieu  as  to  all  others  except  it  be 
the  Due  de  Vendome." 

"Due  de  Vendome,"  I  echoed,  startled;  for 
I  knew  his  name  well  as  a  daring  soldier,  and 
also  that  he  was  grandson  to  a  king. 

"  Yea,"  he  answered.  "  He  is  but  just  re 
turned  from  some  daring  venture,  the  nature  of 
which  'tis  said  few  men  know,  and  is  alike  the 
idol  of  the  king,  the  court  and  the  people.  He 
is  ever  at  the  side  of  Mademoiselle  Antoinette, 
and  so  much  is  he  feared,  both  -on  account  of 
his  great  strength  and  daring,  and  his  influence 
with  the  king,  that  all  other  men  durst  not  so 

374 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

much  as  cast  a  love  glance  in  the  lady's  direc 
tion.  Tis  said — " 

"  Men  alone  grow  old,  Jack,"  Huguenin  in 
terrupted,  and  I  turned  unwillingly  enough  to 
look  in  the  direction  he  indicated.  "  It  has 
been  upwards  of  twenty  years  since  I  was  last 
at  court;  yet,  judging  by  Madame  de  Sevigne's 
looks,  'twas  but  yesterday.  Yonder  she  is  with 
the  golden  staff.  See  how  the  men  listen  to  her 
and  hold  their  sides  with  laughter;  and  well 
they  may,  for  there  is  not  such  another  wit  in 
all  France.  She  once  had  a  keen  eye  and  a  per 
fect  memory  for  faces.  I  will  put  them  to 
test,"  he  cried,  starting  forward  to  join  the 
group  about  the  famous  lady. 

A  tall  figure  stepped  in  front  of  him,  and 
stopping  extended  his  hand.  It  was  the  man 
I  had  noted  on  first  entering  the  grand  salon. 
Huguenin  regarded  him  puzzled,  half  offended 
by  his  interruption.  The  stranger's  gaze 
shifted  in  my  direction  and  our  eyes  met. 

"  Bras  de  Fer !  "  I  cried,  springing  forward. 

He  caught  my  outstretched  hands  and  held 
them  as  though  in  a  vice. 

"  Who  at  the  court  of  King  Louis  is  known 
as  Louis-Joseph  due  de  Vendome,  Captain  Mid- 
dleton,"  he  exclaimed  smiling.  Then  catching 
the  change  that  came  over  my  face  he  ex- 

375 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

claimed,  "  Pish !  man,  let  not  a  change  of  name 
alter  our  friendship.  Why  should  the  name  of 
Vendome  cause  you  to  loose  the  grip  you  gave 
Bras  de  Fer?  We  have  stood  shoulder  to 
shoulder  in  many  a  rough  fight  in  the  New 
\Vorld,  why  should  we  fall  apart  in  the  court 
of  France  ?  Colonel  Huguenin,"  he  said,  turn 
ing  and  extending  his  hand  to  the  man  who 
only  a  moment  before  had  allowed  it  to  pass 
unnoticed,  but  who  now  grasped  it  heartily, 
"  it  was  when  I  came  to  court  with  my  father 
that  I  first  met  you.  I  was  a  child  less  than  ten 
years  old.  You  remember  my  father?  " 

"  Yes,  and  yourself,"  Huguenin  replied, 
"  though  you  were  as  you  say,  a  small  child.  I 
never  thought  of  that  little  lad  as  Morgan's 
vice-admiral,  the  man  to  whom  I  owe  more 
than  one  heavy  debt  of  gratitude.  But  I  see  it 
all  now, — your  resemblance  to  your  father  and 
to  the  captain  whom  I  left  standing  aboard  the 
Phoenix  on  the  high  seas." 

"  It  was  my  humor,"  Vendome  cried,  laugh 
ing.  "  I  had  tired  of  court  life  and  France  and 
wished  to  see  the  world  as  it  appeared  to  men 
of  less  exalted  birth.  I  had  met  Morgan  here 
when  he  visited  court,  when  I  was  scarce  more 
than  a  child,  and  hearing  many  of  his  wild 
adventures  determined  to  follow  his  example 
and  take  to  the  high  seas.  I  sailed  for  His- 

376 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

paniola  and  from  there  shipped  as  mate  under 
Hawkins.  It  was  our  third  venture  that  car 
ried  us  to  Augustine,  Captain  Middleton." 

"  'Twas  a  lucky  fortune  that  led  your  Grace 
on  that  trip,"  Huguenin  exclaimed. 

"  Yet  I  have  had  my  doubts,"  Vendome  re 
plied,  and  I  sawr  the  fire  in  his  eyes  soften  and 
his  lips  droop  pensively.  "  I  have  thought  that 
trip  my  undoing.  But  I  would  not  have  it  left 
out  of  my  life,  even  though  it  has  brought  me 
bitter  fruits;  there  were  fruits  sweet  as  well  as 
bitter,  though  only  the  bitterness  is  for  my 
tasting." 

"  'Tis  to  you  I  owe  my  life,"  I  told  him. 

He  regarded  me  fixedly  for  an  instant,  and 
though  I  gazed  into  his  eyes  I  could  read  noth 
ing. 

"  No,"  he  said  finally  answering  my  remark. 
"  You  owe  it  to  Mademoiselle  Huguenin.  She 
told  Hawkins  of  your  hanging  in  the  iron  cage, 
and  would  give  him  no  peace  until  he  went  to 
your  rescue.  Her  persistence  then  should  have 
made  us  know  her  woman,  for  when  was  a  man 
ever  so  determined  to  save  human  life  at  the 
sacrifice  of  filling  his  own  purse.  We  were 
blind  fools  in  the  days  that  followed,  Captain 
Middleton;  yet  she  played  her  part  with  won 
drous  skill.  Comes  she  back  from  the  country 
soon?  "  he  asked  of  Huguenin  and  I  saw  that 

377 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

there  was  more  eagerness  in  his  eyes  than  he 
cared  to  show  in  his  voice  and  manner. 

Huguenin  shook  his  head.  "  I  do  not  know," 
he  answered.  "  When  we  landed  and  found 
her  gone,  we  would  have  followed  after  her, 
but  we  were  forbid  to  leave  until  such  a  time 
as  the  king  could  find  leisure  to  question  us  con 
cerning  life  in  the  New  World." 

"  An  you  would  take  the  counsels  of  a 
friend,  Colonel  Huguenin,"  Vendome  said,  and 
I  saw  him  glance  around  noting  all  those  about 
him,  "  you  will  not  tarry  too  long  in  France. 
England  is  a  safer  country  for  you." 

"  England!  "  I  cried;  for  the  demon  of  jeal 
ousy  in  my  heart  made  me  doubt  the  sincerity 
of  his  advice.  "  King  James  is  Catholic  and 
likes  no  Protestants." 

"  'Tis  William  of  Orange  that  you  should 
consider,  not  James,"  he  answered.  "  For  even 
now  James's  crown  is  toppling  from  his  head. 
If  I  mistake  not  the  signs  of  the  time  his  head 
will  topple  from  his  body  an  he  quits  not  the 
English  throne." 

"  You  would — "  Huguenin  began. 

"  The  King  comes !  "  was  his  reply,  and, 
with  a  mighty  jingling  of  trinkets  and  rustling 
of  brocades,  all  in  the  great  room  rose  to  their 
feet  and  stood  with  their  faces  turned  towards 
the  door  as  it  swung  open  and  Louis-le-Grand 

378 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

entered.  As  by  magic  the  crowd  separated, 
making  way.  Finding  myself  in  the  front  I 
would  have  stepped  back  had  not  Vendome 
held  me  in  place. 

"  You  are  well  placed,  Captain  Middleton," 
he  whispered.  "  He  hath  the  eyes  of  an  eagle 
and  naught  can  escape  him.  He  will  see  you 
and  it  were  best  that  you  stand  out  boldly." 

This  man  to  whom  all  faces  turned,  and  be 
fore  whom  heads  and  knees  alike  were  bent, 
was  not  so  tall  as  many  of  the  women  about 
me  and  his  costume  was  less  gorgeous  than 
that  of  the  majority  of  the  men,  and  yet,  withal, 
there  was  so  much  of  dignity  in  his  counte 
nance  and  bearing  that  I  would  have  known 
him  king  among  ten  thousand.  His  voice  had 
a  mellow  ring  that  was  most  pleasant  as  he 
talked  to  the  gentleman  upon  whose  arm  he 
leaned,  or  threw  out  a  remark  or  question  to 
those  he  noted  in  passing. 

" 'Tis  d'Estrees,"  Vendome  whispered; 
"  the  wily  cardinal.  Louis  is  always  bemoan 
ing  his  lack  of  teeth,  while  d'Estrees,  hath  a 
mouthful,  and  is  only  too  glad  to  show  them. 
What  does  he  answer?  " 

"  Ah,  Sire,"  the  Cardinal's  voice  came  to  us 
distinctly,  spoken  with  a  sigh  that  one  hears  in 
the  autumn  wind.  "  Who  is  there  now  that  has 
any?  We  all  suffer  alike  with  your  majesty." 

379 


At  the  end  of  the  salon  King  Louis  turned 
and  came  back  again.  For  the  second  time  I 
felt  the  calm  blue  eyes  run  over  me.  He  halted 
for  an  instant. 

:i  You  buccaneers  stand  shoulder  to  shoulder, 
cousin,"  he  said,  speaking  to  Vendome. 

"  It  has  been  so  reported  by  our  enemies, 
sire,"  Vendome  answered. 

'  They  are  ever  the  best  judges  of  our  metal, 
cousin,"  he  answered,  with  another  flash  of  his 
eyes  over  me  and  an  inclination  of  his  head  as 
he  passed  on. 

As  the  doors  closed  behind  him  the  signal 
was  given  and  dancing  began.  Vendome  left 
us  for  an  instant  then,  returning  he  led  the  way 
to  a  table  placed  a  little  to  one  side.  We  took 
our  seats  and,  taking  up  a  pack  of  cards  he  be 
gan  to  shuffle  and  deal  them  with  all  the  ear 
nestness  of  a  man  intent  on  his  game.  But  I 
knew  his  mind  was  not  on  the  cards,  and  that 
he  but  bided  his  time  until  he  could  be  rid  of 
the  young  gallant  who  followed  us  and  speak 
to  us  privately. 

"  It  is  a  stupid  game,  at  best,"  the  young 
Frenchman  exclaimed,  throwing  down  his  hand 
when  the  game  had  gone  hard  against  him. 
"  But  since  you  gentlemen  must  needs  play  I 
will  find  you  a  partner  better  suited  to  your 

380 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

humor."  He  left  his  seat  and  was  in  the  act 
of  turning  from  us  when  one  who  was  his 
double,  so  much  alike  were  they  in  appearance, 
touched  him  on  the  arm,  whispered  in  his  ear. 
Then  was  gone. 

"  Twin  cousins  of  de  Maintenon,  and  Louis' 
particular  spies,"  Vendome  whispered  in  ex 
planation. 

"  His  Majesty  would  speak  to  the  Viscount 
Huguenin  and  Captain  Middleton,"  the  young 
Frenchman  said  turning  back  and  bowing  to 
us.  "  He  bids  me  conduct  you  to  him  on  the 
instant." 

With  a  low  bow  and  without  a  word  or  sign 
Vendome  stepped  aside  and  we  passed  out  from 
the  salon,  down  corridors,  all  gilding  and 
flashing  mirrors  and  as  brilliantly  lighted  as 
the  great  hall  we  had  left.  We  stopped  at 
length  before  a  guarded  door  and  our  guide 
knocked.  The  door  opened  and  he  motioned 
us  in. 

When  the  door  closed  behind  us  we  stood 
alone  with  him  who  had  admitted  us. 

"  De  Palignac !  "  Huguenin  exclaimed,  and 
I  saw  the  color  forsake  his  face. 

"  You  have  a  good  memory,  Viscount.  It 
has  been  many  years  since  last  we  met,"  the 
man  replied. 

381 


WHEN    the    LAND    was    TOUNG 

"  Many  years,"  Huguenin's  voice  came  like 
an  echo,  and  though  he  had  grown  deadly  pale 
his  eyes  told  me  it  was  not  from  fear. 

:'  You  stole  my  sister  from  my  arms,"  De 
Palignac  said,  "  but,  because  of  her  daughter,  I 
would  do  you  only  kindness."  Then  he  added : 
"  The  King  awaits  you.  Will  you  go?"  mo 
tioning  towards  a  door  that  faced  us.  Hugue- 
nin  passed  in. 

"  Captain  Middleton,"  our  conductor  said, 
turning  toward  me  as  they  reached  the  door, 
"  you  will  remain  here  until  such  a  time  as  his 
Majesty  sends  for  you.  You  will  not  find  it 
tedious  waiting,"  he  added,  and  there  was  in  his 
eyes  a  gleam  of  something  that  I  did  not  un 
derstand  as  he  bowed  and  passed  through  the 
door  after  Huguenin. 

I  stood  as  a  man  dazed  by  a  heavy  blow.  I 
stared  first  at  the  closed  door  through  which 
they  had  disappeared;  then,  turning,  I  strode 
toward  the  one  by  which  we  had  entered.  As 
I  put  out  my  hand  to  try  it,  I  heard  a  deep 
sigh  and  the  rustle  of  silken  skirts.  With  a 
start  I  turned  back  and  faced — 

In  the  same  white  gown,  wearing  a  crimson 
blossom  in  her  hair  she  stood  before  me,  just 
as  she  had  stood  in  the  great  room  of  the  gov 
ernor's  house  to  receive  King  Louis'  letter. 
But  there  was  no  sternness  in  her  eyes;  naught 

382 


WHEN    the     LAND    was    TOUNG 

but  love  was  there,  and  her  hands  were  held 
out  in  gladness. 

"  Antoinette !  "  I  cried,  and  I  held  her  in 
my  arms. 

"  There  is  no  measure  to  my  love,"  I  told 
her  after  we  had  grown  more  calm. 

"  No,"  she  answered.  "  Nor  for  your  faith 
fulness.  Even  King  Louis  grants  you  have  won 
my  love,  Jack.  And  you  have  it,  all  that  I 
have  to  give." 

"  He  will  not  oppose  our  marriage?  "  I  asked. 
"  My  heart  has  been  sore  with  misgivings." 

"  It  shall  be  healed  with  my  love,"  she  told 
me,  and  her  eyes  were  like  the  sunbeams  that 
come  after  an  April  shower.  '  To-morrow, 
when  we  sail  away  from  France — " 

"  From  France?  "  I  cried. 

"  Yea,  Jack,  to-morrow  you  and  my  father 
and  I  leave  France  forever.  It  is  for  our 
safety,  and  all  is  made  ready.  Within  the  week 
King  Louis  withdraws  his  indulgence  to  Prot 
estants.  The  edict  given  at  Nantes  will  be 
revoked." 


383 


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Return  this  material  to  the  library 

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••'•^ 

INTERUBRARY  LOA 

NOV  3  0  1994 

OCT  04  1994REC'D 


3UTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILIT 


3  1970  00872  9060 


